Heroes And Friends
by Mikell
Summary: A young boy meets his heroes. How did they end up in his dimension? Will two families from two separate realities be able to find hope and their way back home? COMPLETE 2nd place for Best Happy Ending Stealthy Stories 2010
1. Chapter 1 The Intruder

**A/N: Finally, after months of writing and re-writing... the energizer fic, the Fic That Ate Mary's Life, is finished. It was a heckofa ride.**

**A quick THANK YOU has to go out to my amazing beta-reading crew, Melody Winters, Diva Danielle, and Polaris'05. You gals rock. And when I need my next fic beta'd, and you all run away screaming, I will totally understand. LOL**

**Enough of my chatter... On with the show! Oh, and in advance... Sorry, Leo. :( Might as well say now, Sorry Splinter, Don, Raph and Mikey, too. **

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**_Chapter 1 ~The Intruder~_**

Karen Vincent moved carefully in the dim light. She'd heard _something_ out here in the ancient barn that housed her chickens. The horses had been moved just a week ago, to a smaller, newer shelter on the other side of the field, closer to the house. The old barn wasn't as sturdy and secure as the newer quarters. She and her son, Luke, were building a new coop on behind the horse's shelter, but digging the wire down eighteen inches to thwart marauding predators took time in the rocky upstate New York soil.

She was certain now that whatever she'd heard in the barn wasn't just a raccoon or skunk. She hoped a coyote hadn't managed to sneak into the building, but somehow she doubted it. Coyotes were incredibly shy and avoided human habitations at all costs.

_Could a cougar have found its way in? I know the DEC keeps saying there aren't any in New York State, but Tom Morton swears he saw tracks on his property last month._

Something was moving in the rafters. She heard a distinct sound that wasn't the hen's soft clucking and rustling as they settled on their perches. It could've been a bat's wings fluttering, but Karen frowned. The sound wasn't right, didn't fit in with the normal night sounds. She peered into the darkness, at a larger shadow, a deeper darkness among the beams that made up the barn's roof, crossed over the slightly lighter patch that was a hole in the old roof, straining to listen, every sense on high alert. When the shadow moved, the gun came up automatically, but she didn't fire. Not yet.

"Who's there?"

Her only answer was a faint rustle. It could've been a mouse… a big mouse. It could've been almost anything. Yanking the heavy mag-light from her belt, she shone it into the rafters, and froze, a startled scream catching in her throat. Whatever was there was gone an instant later, but she'd seen a flash of _green_.

She backed up, coming against the barn door, intending to make a dash for the house, when a cry and an almighty _crash_ rang out. She cringed, cowering in the darkness against the rough wood, and swung the flashlight around. Boards rattled and a choking cloud of dust rose up from one of the old horse stalls. There was a flurry of movement, scuffling and low sounds that might've been a muttered curse.

Karen flashed the light around the barn again. Movement in the stall caused her to pause. The gun came up again, steady in her grip this time. Whatever it was, it had fallen. It might be injured. She couldn't just leave without checking. She approached the stall slowly, fear keeping her every muscle on edge. Her father's gun didn't even waver. She'd been shooting since she could hold the rifle.

A startled gasp and more scuffling sounds came from the stall. Karen was certain now that whatever had fallen was trapped inside. The barn was old, but the stall walls were solid oak. If it'd fallen from the rafters, it wouldn't be able to get out of the locked stall. Not unless it could climb the smooth walls. Fortunately the stall had been empty. There was no horse inside to be spooked or injured by the intruder. The hens shuffled on their perches, hardly noticing the commotion.

Karen approached slowly, playing her light over the interior of the stall. At first, she almost didn't see the creature huddled in the shadows. It blended with the darkness in the corner. But the flashlight's probing beam cut through its meager hiding place. It flinched, moving out of the light almost as if it hurt.

She swore softly, but her hand was remarkably steady as the beam played over the creature. Her eyes hadn't deceived her. Its skin was indeed green, and its back was covered by what looked like a huge turtle-shell. It was wearing a blindfold? No… it had eyeholes. It was a mask, over its eyes, and leather pads at its knees and elbows. One arm was bent at a rather odd angle and the creature clutched it to its plastron, hunching as if to protect it. Its other hand held a long, thin sword up defensively, the blade shining wickedly in the flashlight's beam.

Karen swore again. Of all the things she'd found prowling around in the barn, this had to be the strangest, and probably the most dangerous. Its dark eyes stared into hers, furious and afraid. She saw its throat move as it swallowed. Its dark eyes flicked from the gun to her face. Its skin gleamed in the flashlight's beam, glistening with what might have been sweat. Slowly the sword point came down. It was watching her with a curious mixture of caution and determination. She watched it move with a sick sense of fascinated unreality, but she was totally unprepared for what it did next.

It cleared its throat, and spoke.

"Please, don't shoot."

Its voice was steady, clear and calm though she saw a tremor run along the blade from the hand that held it.

"I'm not an alien or monster or anything. I'm… not going to hurt you."

Karen almost snorted then. How could it hurt her from where it sat, cowering in a locked stall? The thought loaned her courage. It was contained for the moment. But what should she do? She wasn't going to shoot the thing, not in cold blood. Especially not now, that she could clearly see it was intelligent. But that weapon… the sword in its hand looked sharp and deadly. Still… there was something vulnerable about the way the creature was watching her. It was clearly frightened.

_I suppose I would be too, if I were cornered and injured and some stranger pointed a gun at me._

Carefully, watching the creature, she lowered the muzzle and pointed it to one side, away from him. She saw something relax in his face, and some of the terrible, trembling tension went out of him.

"Wha… who… are you?" she asked.

"My name is Leonardo," he said softly. He lifted the sword. The gun swung back automatically and he froze. "I'm just putting it away," he explained.

Her eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "All right."

Moving very slowly, he slid the sword into a holder on his back. He held out his hand as if to show her it was empty.

"Would you mind pointing that thing somewhere else?" he asked, swallowing hard. She noticed his skin looked a bit grayish and realized he'd gone pale.

_He's trapped,_ she reminded herself, deliberately pointing the gun away from him again. They stared at one another for a few more seconds before Leonardo moved again. This time he moved cautiously, his eyes never leaving her face, as if he were watching for her reaction. He rocked forward, tucking his feet underneath himself, and lifted his body slowly up until he was standing. He took a step forward, holding out his uninjured hand.

"Can you let me out of here? I promise, I'm not going to harm you," he said softly.

The woman took an involuntary step back, the gun wavering, but she kept the muzzle pointed away from him. There was no sense in frightening the poor creature any more than he already was. Besides, her father had taught her never to point a gun at anything she didn't intend to shoot.

"I… don't think I feel safe doing that," she said slowly. "But I can see you're injured. I'll help you if I can." She stood, watching him for a long moment. He didn't speak again, just returned her gaze steadily. "If I let you out of there, how do I know you won't attack me?"

"I give you my word of honor," he intoned solemnly.

She almost laughed. He sounded so serious and yet so _young_.

"How old are you?" she asked.

The terrapin creature looked at her, startled. "Sixteen," he answered after a moment.

"Oh my!" Karen's breath caught in her throat. He was no older than Luke, her own son. He was just a frightened teenager. And she'd pointed a gun at him! The rifle barrel came down to point at the floor and she approached the stall, reaching for the latch.

"I hope this isn't a mistake," she muttered, grabbing the bolt. She glanced up and froze. In the moment it'd taken her to reach for the latch, he'd crouched slightly, his impressive muscles bunching to launch forward, a fierce, determined expression taking over his features. Her hand fell away from the latch and she took an instinctive step back.

_What was I _thinking_? _

She backed away from the stall, her hands shaking.

"No, wait! Let me out." The creature's voice wavered slightly for the first time.

Karen shook her head. "I don't trust you," she said.

"I don't want to hurt you. I just want to get out. I'll go away. You'll never see me again." His dark eyes met hers again, pleading. "I don't mean you any harm. Please. Just let me go."

"What were you doing here?"

He hesitated.

"I was… looking for something."

"What, like you dropped the key to your spaceship?" she asked, suspicious. Fear made her voice sharp.

He shook his head, but didn't elaborate. She paced away a few steps.

"Mom? Mom are you out here?" Luke's voice rang out.

The woman swore again. "I'm in the barn, Luke," she answered.

The door creaked open, and the dim light bulb flickered on overhead. "I turned the power on inside," he explained unnecessarily. "What was it, Mom? Was something after the chickens again?"

Her laugh was short and dry. "If you can see him too, I'll know I'm not completely insane. He says his name is…"

She never finished the sentence. There was a blur of dull green and purple, and suddenly a second Turtle was standing behind Luke, its arm around his throat.

"Mom!" Luke's squawk was cut off by a warning squeeze. The woman did the only logical thing she could do; she swung the rifle around, leveling it at the one still in the stall.

"Donny!" Leonardo cried, his voice high with anguish.

"Let my brother _go_," said the one in the purple mask. His voice was steady, but Karen saw the hand gripping Luke's shoulder tremble.

"Let go of my _son_," she growled, "Or I'll shoot him. Whatever you are, I bet that shell isn't bullet-proof."

The purple-masked Turtle's eyes narrowed. The woman returned his glare, and cocked the rifle. She was vaguely aware that the one in the stall took a step back toward the wall.

_If I shoot this one, the other one will hurt Luke… I can't risk shooting the purple-masked one… he could still hurt Luke. I just hope I can bluff our way out of this._

A long moment passed. The only sounds in the barn were ragged breaths being drawn and the faint scuffle of Luke's sneakers against the floor as he squirmed against the Turtle's iron grip. Karen held its gaze, refusing to back down.

"Ok, let's all just calm down. I'm going to let the boy go," he said finally, defeat written clearly in the lines of his face. Slowly, his hand came away from Luke's throat. The boy stood still, frozen, trembling for an instant before he stumbled forward. Karen held out one arm to her son as he collapsed against her. The other hand held the rifle steadily on the prisoner in the stall. The purple-banded Turtle raised his hands in surrender.

"Sorry, Leo," he muttered, his eyes never leaving the woman.

Luke twitched and straightened, staring at his former captor as if he'd seen a ghost. He squirmed away from his mother's protective hand.

"_Donatello?"_

The creature stared at him, his brown eyes going wide behind the purple mask. Slowly, as if in a daze, the boy turned to the stall where the blue-banded Turtle was glaring at them.

"_Leonardo?"_

Karen shifted uneasily, still watching the purple-banded Turtle. "How'd you know his name?" she asked sharply.

Luke shook his head. "It's… impossible," he whispered. "They can't be… real…" He started to laugh, a high, hysterical giggle. He clamped his hand over his mouth, cutting off the sound.

His mother stared at him.

_Oh no… Come on, Luke, hold it together. You've always been a sensible kid. I know these Turtle-things are weird, but this is no time to go off the deep end._

"Mom, put the gun down," he said, his voice a little breathless.

"What?"

"They're not going to hurt us, Mom. They're good guys. Superheroes. This is Leonardo and Donatello. Mom, they're the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

Karen stared at her son; certain now that he'd taken a complete leave of his senses. "They're the _what?_"

Luke reached out, taking the gun from his mother's hands. She was so startled she let him take it, only protesting in horror when he removed the clip.

"I'm telling you, Mom, they're _good guys_. It's ok. Leonardo, I'm really sorry about my Mom. She doesn't know you guys. She doesn't watch a lot of TV, you know?" He chattered happily to the shocked creature in the stall.

"Donatello, dude you scared me half to death there for a second. You really need to cut back on the coffee, you know? All that caffeine is making you jumpy." He smiled broadly at the Turtle who was still standing with his hands up, staring at the boy as if he'd lost his mind. Karen was certain her expression mirrored the Turtle's.

"Mom, it's _ok,_" said Luke. He handed the gun back to her, pocketing the bullets. Moving boldly to the stall, he threw the bolt back, swinging the door open. The creature inside the stall was out before Karen could blink.

With a mother's instincts, she grabbed the back of Luke's collar, jerking him back, out of harm's way, but the creature didn't attack. It backed away, crouching in a fighting stance, watching them with a wild look in its narrowed eyes.

"Just who _are_ you people exactly? How do you know our names?"

"Leonardo, relax, it's ok," said Luke cheerfully. "We're friends, I promise. And we can help you. My mom's a doctor. She can fix your arm."

"Leo, let's go," hissed Donatello. He shifted nervously. Karen noticed he'd finally lowered his hands.

"No, wait!" Luke took a step forward, and the blue-banded Turtle's uninjured hand went toward the hilt of his sword. "Don't go," Luke pleaded. "Look, I know why you guys were in our barn, and we can help you. I know where Splinter is!"

The effect was immediate. Leonardo's eyes went from confusion to flint in a split second. The tip of his sword was at Luke's throat before Karen could draw a breath, his dark brown eyes burning into Luke's face.

"What have you done with Splinter? Where is our father?"


	2. Chapter 2 Bluff

**A/N: I can not BELIEVE I forgot: The only turtle I own is an Eastern Box Turtle named Kame. He is very cool, but he is neither mutant nor ninja. In fact, although he shares some faint family resemblances to the TMNT, any similarity is coincidental. I doubt they would enjoy indulging in his habits of burying himself in the mulch, eating slugs, or wading in a pan of water. (And as of this publication date, if you check my profile you can see a photo of Kame) :)  
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**In short, I, sadly, make no claim to ownership of the characters, save for the OC's who appear in this story. Many thanks, as always, to the actual owners and creators, for the joy the have brought to my (ongoing) childhood, and for letting us play with their toys here in the world of Fanfiction...**

**AND for the announcement that Turtles Forever will be released on DVD in August, just in time for my birthday! WHOOOOOOT!  
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_**Chapter 2 ~Bluff~**_

Karen's gun was immediately trained on the creature once again. She worked the action and his eyes snapped to her face.

"He took the clip," she spoke clearly and quietly. "But there is still a bullet in the chamber."

She saw his dark eyes narrow behind the mask.

"You're bluffing."

"I'm not."

She reached out slowly and grasped Luke's shoulder, drawing him back toward her, away from the sword. The boy's hand went to his throat. He was pale, shaking, staring at Leonardo with wide eyes.

"Dude… you cut me!" He sounded shocked and indignant.

"Luke, are you ok?" Karen's heart jumped in her throat when she saw the small trickle of blood from under his fingers.

"I'm fine, Mom. It's just a scratch. I just can't believe you cut me, Leonardo." He was glaring at the Turtle now, furious. "I thought you were the _good_ guys."

"How do you _know_ us?" snapped Leonardo. He took a step toward the pair, menacing.

"Leo, take it easy." Donatello moved to his brother's side, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Karen kept the rifle trained on the Turtles. "You're not going anywhere," she said. "Not until I find out where the hell you came from. And what is going on around here."

"I told you, Mom, they're the Ninja Turtles. From the movies," said Luke. He turned to Leonardo. "I don't know how you guys got here, or even if I'm dreaming or not, but you guys are heroes. Movies, TV, comic books…"

"You're crazy," said Leonardo. He shook his head.

Karen noticed that the sword tip was drooping, as if it were too heavy for him to hold up.

_He's going into shock. That broken arm… he's got to be in pain._

"Look, …Leonardo," she said, keeping her voice calm. "This _is_ insane. I'm standing in my barn talking to a pair of giant Turtles. But… Luke, what are you talking about? Those movies you're so crazy for?"

Luke nodded, and Karen noticed that a blush was staining his cheeks. "Yeah, Mom." He leaned closer to mutter under his breath. "And thanks for making me feel like a dorky fan-boy in front of these guys."

Karen shook her head. "Sorry," she whispered. "But Luke, are you sure this isn't some crazy stunt your father dreamed up? I mean, maybe those are costumes…" Even as she said it, Luke was shaking his head.

"Mom, those aren't costumes," he said firmly.

Karen nodded slowly. Luke had certainly been close enough to Donatello to discern the difference between vinyl foam and flesh and blood in the hand that had held his throat.

Luke cleared his throat. "There are four of you. Leonardo's the oldest. Then… either Donatello or Raphael. Michelangelo's the youngest. Your father is Master Splinter. He taught you ninjitsu after you were mutated from regular pet-shop turtles. How'm I doing so far?"

Leonardo swayed slightly, his eyes wide with shock and horror. Donatello crowded protectively close to his brother.

"How… how'd…" Leonardo swallowed hard, shaking his head. He closed his eyes for a long moment, his brow creasing. When he looked up again, his expression was hard, cold and furious.

"Where is our father?" he asked. "What have you done with him?"

"No, Leonardo, it's not like that, I swear!" Luke held up his hands. He took a step toward the Turtles, ignoring Karen's gasp. "Listen, we'll help you, we really will. This is a misunderstanding, that's all."

"Where is he?" asked Leo again. The blade shook in his hand now, but he stood steady, glaring at the boy with death in his eyes.

Karen's hand tightened on the rifle.

"Leo…" Donatello's voice was low, soothing. His eyes were on the woman holding the gun, his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Bro, take it easy."

"They have Splinter, Donny. Otherwise, how does he know so much about us?"

"It's not like that, Leonardo, I swear." Luke swallowed hard. "I… I'm not even positive it was Splinter. But, you guys are here, so it's got to be, right?"

A low growl came from Leonardo.

"Kid, what do you know, exactly?" asked Donatello.

"Wait a minute. Who _are_ you guys, really?" asked Karen, anger and frustration making her voice shake. "Where did you _come_ from?"

"Mom, wait."

Karen stared at her son. She'd never heard such a determined… mature… tone from him before. He turned back to the blue-masked Turtle who was struggling visibly to hold the sword steady now, his face a mask of fury and fear, suspicion and longing battling for supremacy in his gaze.

The second Turtle was watching them both warily. Karen noticed for the first time the difference in the olive tone of his skin, and the long, smooth staff strapped to his back. His chocolate brown eyes flicked between the gun and Luke's face with a watchful, waiting expression.

"Some kids…" Luke glanced at Karen with an air of resignation. "The Billet boys, Bobby and his brother," he continued, flinching only slightly at Karen's glare.

"You were hanging around with that little _hooligan_," she snapped almost automatically.

"Yeah." Luke sighed, barely refraining from rolling his eyes. "Mom, Bobby's not _that_ bad. Just because he got caught smoking last month…"

"Smoking, shop lifting, and throwing stones at Mrs. Maloney's dog," snapped Karen. "Luke, you _know_ I don't want you hanging around with that boy."

"I _know_, Mom," said Luke. "I _wasn't_, not really. I just happened to… run into him."

"What about _Splinter?_" Leonardo's voice snapped like the crack of a whip, bringing their attention sharply back to him.

He was sweating again and Karen noticed he'd gone quite gray. Donatello was still focused on her and Luke, confusion and amusement in his chocolate-brown eyes. Karen was startled at how _human_ he looked in that moment, his expression so much like one of Luke's friends when she lectured him in front of them.

"Well, Bobby Billet and his friend Jake were hanging around down back a couple days ago," said Luke slowly, glancing at his mother again.

Karen's eyes narrowed but she didn't comment.

"They said they were just walking, Mom," said Luke defensively. She shook her head, motioning for him to continue.

"Anyway," Luke shrugged. "They came running up from the field like crazy. Bobby was almost crying." His eyes shone with laughter. "It was kinda funny, really, but he was scared. He said some kind of animal attacked them. It was in that little cave below the field. You know where I mean, right, Mom?"

"Across the field from Martha Willard's house?" she asked.

Luke nodded. "He said he and Jake were exploring and it jumped them from out of the dark."

"Probably sneaking in there for a smoke. I've _told_ you boys to stay out of that cave," growled Karen. "It's not _safe._"

"Show us. Now." Leonardo's dark eyes were wild in his pale, sweating face. "Take us there."

"You can't go traipsing around back there in the dark," snapped Karen. "It'll have to wait until morning."

"No," Leonardo's sword came up and he took a step forward. "It can't wait."

"Leo…" Donatello glanced at his brother and he started, apparently noticing for the first time how pale and shaky Leonardo had become.

The blue-masked Turtle's eyes were glassy with pain and fury. "We're going _now,"_ he said.

Karen took an instinctive step back, grabbing Luke's shoulder and dragging him back, away from the Turtle. She forced him behind her, training the gun on the Turtles.

"Don't you come any closer," she warned. "I mean it."

Leonardo moved his sword, but in the process bumped against his injured arm, still clutched to his chest. A hiss of pain escaped him and his eyes went wide for an instant before he turned his face toward Donatello.

"Donny…"

It was a plea. He swayed.

"Leo!" Donatello caught his brother as he sagged. Leonardo struggled to stay on his feet, but he was obviously losing the battle.

"What's wrong with him? Mom! You've got to help him," cried Luke.

"He's going into shock," said Donatello. "_Damn_ it, Leo."

"'m… ok, Donny." The blue-masked Turtle sank to his knees with a groan.

"He can't be that injured from the fall," said Karen. She started forward, the instinct to heal overcoming her caution, but the look in the purple-banded Turtle's eyes when his gaze snapped up to her face stopped her short. His expression was fierce, protective.

"He's sick. Leo never would've fallen out of the rafters like that normally," he said shortly. "He wouldn't stop, wouldn't rest. We've been searching for Splinter for two days already. Ever since we… arrived here."

"Donny!" A hoarse shout rang out.

There was a sudden blur of silver, green and red, and Karen found herself on the floor, the gun spinning away. Leaning over her, unnatural amber eyes glared into hers from behind a red mask over a dark-green face. A third Turtle had her pinned and he looked more than capable of killing. The look Leonardo had given her was nothing compared to the glare from this golden-eyed monster.

"You leave my mom _alone!" _Luke snatched up the rifle, pointing it at the newcomer.

"No! Raph, look out!"

Karen turned her head in time to see an orange-banded Turtle crash into Luke. It happened so fast she didn't even have time to cry out. The gun swung wildly and there was an explosion and the acrid smell of gunpowder.

The Turtle staggered back, clutching at his bicep.

"_Mikey!_" Donatello and the red-masked Turtle chorused. They both leapt to their feet, rushing to their injured brother's side.

"I… didn't mean to!" cried Luke, dropping the gun. "Michelangelo! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to!"

Karen scrambled to her feet and ran to her son, putting her arm around his shoulders. The two Turtles were lowering the third to rest on a hay bale.

"Dude! He shot me. The little dude _shot_ me," Michelangelo cried, sounding remarkably like Luke.

"Mikey…" Leonardo managed to make it to his feet, swaying for a moment before he slumped, falling.

Karen rushed forward instinctively, catching him before his head could hit the concrete floor. His weight dragged her down with him, but before she could fall a rough hand grabbed her shoulder, jerking her back and away. Karen staggered, just managing to stay on her feet.

"You leave my brother _alone!" _shouted the red-masked Turtle.

For an instant, Karen was certain he would attack her again, but he knelt beside Leonardo, cradling the Turtle's head.

"Donny! Leo's out cold," he said over his shoulder. "What do we do?"

"Check his pulse," said Donatello. He was trying to pry Michelangelo's fingers away from his arm. "Mike, hold on. I've got to check on Leo, ok? You're gonna be ok, Bro."

"Go, Donny. Leo needs you," said the younger Turtle. He glared at Luke. "Dude, I can't believe you _shot_ me."

"I'm _really_ sorry," said Luke. "Raphael was gonna hurt my Mom." Slowly, he edged toward Michelangelo. "I didn't mean to shoot. Really. Please, let us help you. Mom's a doctor. She can help."

Donatello glanced up from holding his finger against Leonardo's neck.

"Guys, we don't have lot of options here. Leo's in bad shape. He's exhausted and he's too cold. We've got to get him some place safe."

Raphael glanced up, his amber glare landing on Karen.

"I say we get outta here," he growled. "It ain't safe, Donny. We gotta get Leo an' Mikey outta here, away from these _humans._"

She returned his glare full-force, even though fear was buzzing down her spine, making breathing difficult.

_He's going to kill us. No way are they going to leave us alive to call the sheriff. Oh Luke… How am I going to save us?_


	3. Chapter 3 Introductions

**A/N: Yes, Raphael is acting like... Raphael. Good for him that Karen is first and foremost a Mom. It's tough to overcome those instincts, even when the kids involved are green, wearing shells, and trained in martial arts. **

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_Chapter 3 ~Introductions~_**

"Take it easy, Raph," said Donatello. "They didn't threaten us before you jumped on… Excuse me, ma'am, what's your name?"

Karen stared at him, startled at the sudden courtesy. "Karen. My name is Karen Vincent, and this is my son, Luke."

"Listen," Luke spoke up, staring at Raphael. "You're brother's in bad shape. Michelangelo's hurt too. My mom's a doctor. If you guys would just trust us, we can help you."

"No way, kid," growled Raphael, his hand resting on the handle of an oddly-shaped silver weapon tucked at his side. "Ya already shot Mikey. You stay away from my bros."

"Raph, we don't have a _choice_," snapped Donatello. "We need help. Leo needs to get warm _now._"

Karen listened to the exchange, but her eyes never left Leonardo. His breathing was quick and shallow. Donatello knelt beside him, cradling his head in his lap.

She was painfully reminded of another scene, an accident she'd witnessed once as a volunteer EMT. A young man cradled his bleeding wife on the side of the road next to what was left of their car, helpless tears flowing down his face. Whatever the creatures were, it was obvious they cared for one another, and they needed her help. Her doctor's instincts overcame her fear.

"Listen... we can take him into the house," she said. "It'll be warmer in there and I can set up a portable heater. I have first aid supplies. We can treat Michelangelo's arm as well. I guess… I guess we can't just take you guys to the hospital." She managed a shaky laugh.

Raphael glared, but Donatello nodded slowly.

"All right," he said. "Raph, you're going to have to carry Leo."

"Don…"

The purple-banded Turtle reached out, gripping his brother's arm. Raphael met his eyes and a silent communication seemed to pass between them. Raphael glanced at the humans, his eyes burning with fury.

"Are ya alone?" he asked.

"What?"

"Is there anybody else inside?" he elaborated impatiently.

"No," said Karen. _I hope I'm not making a huge mistake._ "It's just Luke and I." When the Turtle continued to stare suspiciously at her she shook her head in annoyance. "What?"

"Yer wearin' a ring," growled the Turtle. "Where's yer husband?"

Karen twisted the gold band on her finger, startled. "My husband's been gone almost five years. It's just Luke and me now," she told him.

Something flickered in Raphael's eyes. "Ok," he said finally. He scooped Leonardo up in a bridal carry, grunting slightly as he got to his feet.

Karen's eyes went wide. _This guy's a power-house_, she thought. _His brother must weigh close to two-hundred pounds but he just picked him up like a baby. I hope I'm doing the right thing... but I can't ignore someone who needs help, no matter how weird they look.  
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Donatello nodded sharply and went over to Michelangelo.

"How're you doing, Mikey?" he asked softly.

"I'll be fine, Donny. Take care of Leo," answered the orange-banded terrapin, getting shakily to his feet. He shot another suspicious blue-eyed glare toward the woman and her son.

"I'll show you where the first-aid stuff is," said Luke to Donatello. The purple-banded Turtle nodded and Luke, shooting one more nervous glance over his shoulder at his mother, followed him out of the barn.

Karen turned her attention to the remaining Turtle. "Listen, Michelangelo, is it?"

The aqua-green Turtle glanced at the woman. He got to his feet, taking a step back as she came closer, his hand still clamped over his arm. Blood had trickled down to his elbow, but she noticed it wasn't dripping now.

"Luke's a good kid. He didn't mean to hurt you. Please believe that."

"I… I guess, Dudette," said Michelangelo slowly. "Look, we… we don't let ourselves get seen by humans, you know. Raph… Raph's just worried."

"He's scared," said Karen, nodding. "I would be to, in your place. Where did you guys _come_ from?"

"New York." He glanced at her. "You know, you really can't tell anybody else about us."

She glanced at him. "Or what?"

Michelangelo looked startled. "Well… nothing really, I guess." He shrugged and winced. "Ow! Ow ow ow!"

Karen's eyes widened. She rushed to the Turtle, grabbing his uninjured hand and prying it away from his wounded arm.

"Did you hurt yourself? Let me see."

"Hey! Ow! No, leave it alone, Dudette!" squawked the Turtle, flinching away.

"Michelangelo, I'm a _doctor._ Now come on. Let's get you inside and get this cleaned up," she said, taking him firmly by the arm. Blue eyes widened, but he allowed her to lead him into the house. Raphael met them at the porch. He stood with his arms crossed over his plastron, watching them approach.

"You ok, Mike?" he asked.

Karen met his glare steadily. "Your brother is fine, Raphael," she snapped before Michelangelo could answer. "You know, it's your fault Luke shot him. He was defending me."

"Well, if da kid could handle dat gun, he wouldn'ta shot my brother," Raph glared.

"If Luke could handle a gun under that kind of duress, you would've been dead," Karen told him. "It's just fortunate his shot was deflected."

"Humph."

Karen ignored the red-banded Turtle, leading Michelangelo firmly into the house. He followed her meekly to the kitchen where she motioned to a chair.

"Sit. I'll get some rags to clean up your arm and we can see how bad it is."

"Where's Donny?"

Raphael trailed into the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe, watching the woman's every move.

"Da kid took 'em inta a bedroom," he growled. "Don's workin' on Leo, settin' 'is arm."

"What about the shock?" Karen eyed the Turtle warily. "He needs to be warmed. Did Luke get the heater for him?"

Raphael nodded. "Donny says he's just exhausted. His pulse an' stuff is ok."

Gently, Karen pried Mike's hand away from his arm. He flinched, but she wiped the blood and gore away from the edges of the wound. "Good grief, you're a mess Michelangelo. At least the bullet isn't in your arm."

"Still hurts like shell," grumbled Mike, glaring at the woman.

"Well, don't jump on someone holding a rifle," she scolded. "First rule of gun safety. What on earth have you been _doing_?" She traced a finger along a bruise on his upper arm. His skin was icy-cold under her fingers. Michelangelo shuddered and shifted away. "Sorry," she said. "You're freezing. That can't be good for you."

"It's not," said Raphael. "We didn't exactly plan fer traipsin' aroun' in da snow."

Karen glanced at him, but his closed expression stopped her questions. Shaking her head, she efficiently cleaned the blood from around the wound.

"This is pretty superficial," she said. "You're not going to need stitches, just some salve and a bandage."

"What're ya, some kinda nurse or somethin'?" The red-banded Turtle's eyes narrowed behind his mask, his hands resting on the fork-shaped weapons in his belt as he watched her.

"A surgeon, actually." Karen retorted. She headed for the doorway, where Raphael stood blocking her path.

"Where da ya t'ink yer goin'?" he asked, glaring.

"I _think_ I'm going to check on Donatello and my son, and get the first-aid supplies I need to patch up your _brother,_" snapped Karen. "And I can tell you right now, you'd better drop the attitude, _Raphael_, or you'll find yourself sleeping in the _barn._ You may have those," she gestured toward his sai, "And probably close to a hundred pounds on me, but this is _still_ my house."

The amber eyes met her hazel ones for a long moment. Finally, with a huff of annoyance, Raphael stepped back, allowing the woman to pass. Michelangelo watched the entire exchange with wide eyes.

"Dude," he breathed. "She just _owned_ you."

"Chuckle-head," growled Raph, but his eyes followed the woman as she went into the back bedroom where Donatello was working to help Leo.

"How are you doing in here?" Karen's question startled Donatello. He spun, instinctively taking a defensive crouch, shielding his brother who was lying on the bed. Luke stood at the foot of the bed, holding supplies he'd been handing to Donatello.

"Mrs. Vincent." Donatello straightened. "He's… stable. I've set his arm." The Turtle gestured toward the linen bandage wrapped firmly around Leonardo's arm. "Luke gave me some wooden spoons to use for a splint."

"Good thinking." Karen approached, looking down at Leonardo. "He looks so peaceful," she said softly. She glanced at Donatello who was watching her warily. "Are you sure his blood pressure is ok?"

Donatello nodded. "I don't have any way to check it here, but his pulse, breathing and temperature are all normal now. He's just worn out," he passed a weary hand over his face. "We've all been… on edge. And this weather…"

Karen nodded. "You all needed to get warm. You wouldn't have lasted much longer in this wind."

Donatello shivered in the warm room, but didn't answer.

"When he wakes up, we _all_ need to have a sit-down," Karen said firmly. "I still want to know how you guys ended up in my barn and where you came from."

"I'm… not sure we can explain everything," said Don slowly. "I'm not sure I understand it myself."

"Well, for now I just need the salve and one of the big gauze pads out of the first-aid kit. Michelangelo's wound isn't deep but he should keep it covered for a couple of days anyway."

"Is Michelangelo gonna be ok?" Luke swallowed hard. "I didn't mean to shoot him, honest."

"I know that, Honey," said Karen gently. "Why don't you come out with me and talk to him? If you don't need any more help in here, Donatello?"

Don nodded. "We're fine," he said, turning back to Leo.

"Do you need more blankets or anything for him?" asked Karen.

The Turtle shook his head. "Thanks."

"Hey." The woman approached cautiously and laid her hand on his arm. Don twitched, but didn't pull away, just looked at her questioningly. Karen tried him with a smile. "I'm going to fix some food. When you're sure he's ok, you can come out and get something to eat, ok?"

Donatello looked startled. "Umm ok," he said slowly. "Thanks." For the first time, Karen saw a shy smile cross his face.

_They really are young_, she thought, pity tugging at her heart. _I hope we're doing the right thing here. Luke certainly seems convinced they're ok. _She glanced at her son.

"Come on, Luke. Let's go talk to the others, ok?"

Luke looked up, his green eyes dark in his pale face. "Ok. I want to apologize to Michelangelo." He started toward the door.

"Luke." Donatello spoke up.

The boy turned to face the Turtle and Karen saw a flash of tension in the way he held himself, as if he expected a reprimand.

"Thanks for the help," said Donatello with a smile. "With Leo."

Luke's face broke into a wide smile. "No problem, man," he said casually, but Karen could see the relief in the way his shoulders relaxed.

She shook her head, hiding a smile. _Heroes, mutants, whatever they are, _she thought, _They seem like good kids._


	4. Chapter 4 Reconnaissance

**_Chapter 4 ~Reconnaissance~_**

Luke was quiet as they made their way back to the kitchen. Michelangelo was fidgeting in the chair where Karen had left him. Raphael was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's your brother?" asked Karen, eyeing the orange-banded Turtle.

"Raph… umm… He's just… you know, checking out the house an' stuff," said Michelangelo warily, his hand resting on the stick weapons tucked into his belt.

Karen started to protest, but Luke touched her arm.

"Mom, they're scared," he said quietly. "They've got to be. Raphael's really protective of his brothers. He's probably just making sure the place is safe for them."

She scowled. "I don't appreciate some stranger picking his way through our home."

"He won't touch nothin', Dudette," said Michelangelo, a bit indignantly. "We're ninjas, not burglars."

"If your brother doesn't want to be thought of as a ruffian, he shouldn't act like one," said Karen briskly. "Now, let's have a look at that arm."

Michelangelo was off the chair and backing away before she could touch him.

"Donny'll take care of it," he said.

"Michelangelo, Donatello is busy with Leonardo," said Karen.

The orange-banded Turtle watched, his eyes widening, as she took another step toward him. His hand tightened on his weapons.

"I'm _really_ sorry I shot you." Luke spoke up, pleading. He held his hands out to Michelangelo. "It was an accident, honest."

"That's… ok, little Dude," said Michelangelo slowly, still watching Karen. She sighed and set the supplies on the table, sinking into a chair. The Turtle relaxed. Glancing at Luke once more, he sat back down.

_He's got to be the youngest,_ thought Karen, watching him. _His expressions are so open, and he's uneasy without one of his brothers here to back him up. _

"We're only trying to help," said Karen softly. "Michelangelo, I admit I've never met anyone like you and your brothers before, and… well, to be honest, I'm a little freaked out right now. But Luke…" She glanced at her son. "Thinks you're all right. I'm willing to give you a chance. He's always had a pretty good sense for people."

Luke flashed his mother a startled smile, glancing shyly at Michelangelo.

"Dudette, we freak _most_ people out. That's why we stay hidden, you know?" Michelangelo smiled a bit sadly.

"But Mike, you guys are super-heroes," said Luke, taking the other seat at the table. "Seriously, you're like… famous. There are movies and comic books about you. There's even a cartoon series and they made a special movie this year because it's your twenty-fifth anniversary."

Michelangelo eyed the boy with a mixture of confusion and amusement.

"Dude, I'm like, sixteen."

Luke shook his head, frustrated. "Let my Mom patch up your arm, and I'll _show_ you," he said.

"Donny'll…" Michelangelo started, but a huffing grunt from the doorway stopped him.

"Don's busy wit' Leo, Mikey," said Raphael. "Let 'er fix yer arm. I'm right here, da big bad humans ain't gonna get ya."

"Shut up, Raph," growled Michelangelo.

Luke snickered, earning himself a glare from the red-banded Turtle.

"Oh for goodness sake," muttered Karen. She ripped the bandage open efficiently and smeared the antibacterial ointment on it. She tore off two strips of surgical tape and laid them, sticky-side up, on the table, pressing the bandage onto them to create a sort of over-sized, makeshift band-aid. She picked it up carefully by the edges of the tape.

"Will you let me do this?" she asked, meeting Michelangelo's eyes.

He glanced at Raphael, before nodding. "Ok, Dudette. Just remember, I bruise kinda easy…" He flinched as she pressed the bandage into place, but Karen was deliberately gentle. His skin felt less icy, but he was still quite cold.

"There. Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"…I guess." He glanced at her. "Thanks."

Karen suppressed the urge to offer him a lollipop. There was something about those innocent blue eyes that almost made her forget the weapons he wore and the dangerous speed with which he'd appeared in the barn.

"I have some of John's old things upstairs," she said. "You guys need to put something on. Michelangelo's freezing." She glanced at Raphael. "It can't be good for you to be so cold, can it? Or is that normal for you?"

"It's not." Donatello came into the room, passing a weary hand over his face. He yawned. "Leo's finally warming up, guys. He's sleeping. Mike, how are you doing?"

"Dudette patched my arm," said Michelangelo with a cocky grin. "Is Leo gonna be ok, Donny?"

"He'll be fine, with some rest," said Donatello.

Karen saw a real smile cross his features for the first time.

"You know Fearless, he's got a shell like a rock," remarked Raphael with a smirk.

Karen glanced at him, deciphering the relief beneath the bravado.

_Poor guys. They were really worried about their brother. _

"I'm going to go up to the attic and find you guys some clothes," said Karen. She hesitated. "Luke, why don't you come with me?"

"Aww, Mom," Luke protested. "I wanted to talk to them."

"We ain't goin' nowhere, Kid," said Raphael.

"Come on, Luke," said Karen firmly.

The boy glanced at Raphael. His eyes widened a bit at the Turtle's aggressive stance and glaring amber gaze. Luke gulped a little. "Ok, Mom."

Karen shot a glare at Raphael, putting her arm around Luke's shoulders and directing him in front of her as they left the room.

"They are really something else, aren't they?" she remarked as they headed up the stairs.

"They're _amazing_," breathed Luke. "Raphael really is as grumpy as he seems, but Mom he's a good guy, I promise. He's just worried about them and he doesn't trust humans. And Donatello's a genius. Michelangelo's so quiet. I wonder why?"

"His arm is probably hurting him," said Karen without thinking. She saw Luke's shoulders slump. "It wasn't your fault, Honey."

"I should've been more careful," said Luke. "I could've really hurt him."

"Well, I thought Raphael was really going to hurt _me_," said Karen. "You did what you had to, Luke. You were just defending your family."

"So were they, Mom," said Luke seriously.

"Yeah, I know." Karen sighed. "We really didn't get off to a very good start, did we? But it's not every day you find four giant… Turtle-guys in your barn." She laughed, a shaky, brittle sound even to her own ears.

"They're mutants, Mom," said Luke. Even from behind, Karen could hear his eye-roll in his voice. "And they're ninjas."

"Perfect. So they're mutant-Turtle… ninjas?"

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

"O-k then." Karen shook her head. "Whatever, they're five-foot tall Turtles who walk and talk and they're sitting in our kitchen. Nope, there's nothing remotely insane about this."

Luke laughed. "Oh, Mom."

He pulled the small, hidden door open that led to the cramped attic space. Karen ducked, crouching to enter. She grabbed a cardboard box, drawing it toward the door.

"I think some of your dad's old sweats are still in there," she said, turning to reach for another box. "There should be some coats and sweatshirts in here, too," she muttered. "Though heaven knows if they'll fit over those shells."

"It's a good thing Dad wore such baggy clothes all the time before he lost weight," remarked Luke. "This stuff should fit them."

"I hope so. They can't go around naked in this weather," said Karen.

Luke snickered. "They don't wear clothes, Mom. I mean, they have shells, so I guess they don't need to. Except in winter."

"Well it's winter now," said Karen grimly, pulling out another box. She hesitated, glancing at the plastic bin shoved far back into a corner. Shaking her head, she turned and crawled toward the door. "There might be some boots in the other box," she said, shoving it forward.

"Can I give ya a hand, Dudette?" Michelangelo's voice startled Karen so badly she fell backwards onto her rump. Luke's cry told her he hadn't heard the Turtle coming either.

"Sorry, sorry," Michelangelo was muttering.

Karen scrambled to the door in time to see Michelangelo offer Luke a hand up. Luke hesitated only a moment before grasping the three-fingered hand and letting the Turtle pull him to his feet.

"Geez. You guys sure are jumpy."

Luke snorted. "You snuck up on us, Michelangelo."

"I didn't mean to, Dude," said the Turtle with a grin. "And you can call me Mike or Mikey, ok? Only Sensei calls me 'Michelangelo'." He deepened his voice, putting on a slight accent when he said his name.

Luke laughed. "Wow, thanks Mike. You sound just like Splinter," he said.

"How do you know?" asked Michelangelo, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Let's get these boxes downstairs," said Luke. "And I'll show you."

"Show me?" Michelangelo's brow creased.

"The movies. I'll show you the DVDs. I told you, you guys are heroes."

"Luke, are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Karen, standing up and lifting one of the boxes.

Luke closed the door and picked up another box. "Sure, Mom, why not?"

"Well," Karen glanced at Michelangelo. "I mean, Raphael seems pretty nervous about letting humans see you guys. What will he do when he realizes there've been movies made?"

"Oh, don't worry, dudette. Raphy'll be fine," said Michelangelo cheerfully.

Karen eyed the orange-banded Turtle doubtfully.

"Come on, Mom. This will be cool," said Luke with a grin.

"I still think this is a mistake," she muttered, but she followed the boys down the stairs.


	5. Chapter 5 Super Stars

**A/N: Dear readers, thanks for bearing with me thus far. A little of the mystery will be revealed, now that the boys are somewhat settled in.**

**Today's chapter is brought to you by my good friend Danni, who has graciously agreed to update for me today and tomorrow while I'm out of town camping with the family. Or, rather, in town, because we're just going a few miles away to a local campground to try out the new camper. But I might as well be on the moon, because I will have no interwebs. *sob***

**Thank you, Danni! You rock!**

**

* * *

**_**Chapter 5 ~Super Stars~**_

If looks could kill, Karen was certain her television would've been nothing but a smoking pile of ash under Raphael's amber gaze. The red-banded Turtle refused to sit down. He leaned his shell back against the wall, his arms crossed over his plastron as Luke chattered excitedly, popping a DVD into the machine. Donatello refused to sit down either, standing behind the couch tensely. Only Michelangelo seemed relaxed, lounging on the couch and calling loudly for popcorn.

Karen perched on the arm of the couch where she could keep all three in her line of sight. She watched curiously as the movie started, showing a news report and the activities of a criminal gang taking over the city. When the family first appeared on the screen, Karen had to stifle laughter. The obvious costumes were like goofy caricatures of the creatures shifting uneasily on her living room furniture, clunky and obvious. The real Turtles were slimmer and taller than their movie counterparts. The color of Raphael's skin was a deep, rich jade green, and was more like fine leather than the obvious vinyl costumes. His muscles rippled as he shifted on the couch, adding to Karen's sense that the world had shifted and she was living in an alternate version of reality.

Luke cleared his throat. "This was made a couple years ago," he said apologetically. "Dad says it was really good for live-action. The costumes were state-of-the-art…"

Donatello snorted, and Luke trailed off. Karen watched Raphael. His frown deepened until a man wearing a hockey mask appeared. His face softened to a smirk as the movie-version of the Turtle sparred with the man, at least until Casey Jones pulled out the cricket bat. Then Raph's arms crossed over his plastron, and he scowled.

Karen found herself drawn into the story as a large, rather ragged Rat spoke to Raphael about finding knowledge and peace. She felt tears sting her eyes. The Rat was strange, to be sure, but the fatherly affection was obvious. The movie version of Raphael rescued the reporter and the boys spent an evening with her, eating pizza and cracking bad jokes. She was startled when Luke hit the "stop" button.

He cleared his throat nervously. "I… guess you know that Splinter disappeared right after that, and then Raphael got hurt... I mean… it was awful. But you guys came back to the city and…"

"And we whooped butt!" crowed Michelangelo. "D-u-u-des. We are a _movie._"

"It ain't a good t'ing, Mikey!" snapped Raphael. Karen glanced at him and half-rose. His eyes were burning with fury, but he was glaring at the television, not her or her son. "Don, what _is _dis? What're we gonna do? They got _movies_ of us! Of our _lives._"

"It… doesn't seem possible…" Donatello was staring at the television. He lifted a hand and slowly passed it over his face. "I mean, it was like… a real movie…"

"Yeah! Did ya see the part where I showed up?" Michelangelo jumped up, too excited to sit still. "Dudes, I was _awesome!_"

"You were pretty cool, Mikey," said Luke, grinning. "Later on, they show you guys fighting the Shredder on the roof. You were great."

"Oh, that's nothin'," said Michelangelo, his grin widening.

"Not the _time,_ Mikey," growled Raphael. "Donny, what do ya make o' it? How'd they know what the Lair was like? An' how'd they know about Splintah goin' missin'?" He turned to Karen, glaring. "Who are ya workin' fer, Lady?"

"What? No, we're not working for anyone!" said Karen. She stood up, moving instinctively to put herself between the glaring Turtle and her son.

"I _told_ you, these are movies," said Luke, shaking his head. "Raphael, we didn't make them. Mirage Studios did."

"Who?"

"Mirage. It's a company. They made the movies," explained Luke, as if to a very slow child.

"Well, I'm gonna find these Mirage guys, an' I'm gonna find out how they saw us when we were in da Lair!" growled Raphael. He yanked the forked weapons from his belt, spinning them in his fingers. Karen gasped, yanking Luke behind her.

"Raph, there's no evidence Karen and Luke had anything to do with this," said Donatello, finally tearing his eyes from the frozen picture on the screen to glance at his fuming brother.

"But it was _us_, Donny!" Raphael's voice got louder with confusion and anger. "They got guys wearin' Turtle costumes, actin' out our _lives._"

"Pft, you're just mad 'cause they made you look fat." Michelangelo grinned. "_I_, on the other hand, look great on the small screen. We should totally see this in the theater. Imagine, me, twenty feet tall in the movie theater. Dudes, it would be _awesome._"

"Raph, I don't understand it either, but getting upset won't help," retorted Donatello, ignoring his brother. "Luke, where did you get that movie?"

"I got it off of e-bay," said Luke, sounding hurt. "There are others, but this was the best one so far."

"You've got _more_ movies o' us?" Raphael's voice was dangerous.

"Well, yeah. They're not as good as this one though. I've been _telling_ you," said Luke impatiently. "You guys are _super heroes_. There are comics and movies and cartoons. _Everybody_ knows who you are." He glanced at his mother and smirked. "Well, almost everybody."

Raphael took one step toward Luke. Karen moved to block him. "It's true, Raphael," she said firmly. "You guys are famous. You're fictional characters… or at least I _thought_ you were until tonight."

"Fictional… characters?" Donatello glanced at her. His face had gone an oddly mottled grayish-green color and his eyes were slightly glassy. "Karen, do you have… a bathroom?" he asked shakily.

"Sure, Donatello." She pointed. "Right through there."

"Thanks." The word came out clipped as the Turtle dashed through the door. Distinct sounds told them Donatello was losing whatever he'd had in his stomach.

Michelangelo's beak wrinkled. "Nice, Donny. Real nice," he muttered.

"Is he… ok?" Luke asked, looking disgusted.

"Does he _sound _ok to you, Kid?" snapped Raphael. "He just found out our whole _existence_ is on a stinkin' DVD fer da whole _world_ ta see. Don't you t'ink we got enough trouble, wit'out everyone knowin' we exist? We're _ninjas_. We're _mutants_. We're supposed ta stay _hidden!_" Raphael waved his arms in a gesture of frustration.

Karen shook her head. "Raphael… in this world… you don't exist," she said softly. "At least… you're not _supposed_ to exist. I mean, my husband belongs to a fan site. They discuss… people… like you endlessly. How cool it would be if you were real, that sort of thing. But you're _not._ You _can't_ be. You're _fictional._" She shook her head.

"Obviously we _do_ exist," said Donatello, coming out of the bathroom slowly. He still looked a little shaky. "I have the feeling this isn't our dimension, guys. We don't belong here."

"No kidding, Genius," growled Raphael. He tucked the fork-weapons back into his belt and crossed his arms over his plastron again, glaring. "So, where exactly _are_ we? An' how're we gonna get home again?"

Donatello shook his head. "I… I don't know, Raph. I think for now, at least, we're stuck here. Until Leo's better and we find Splinter, anyway."

"Dat's somethin' else again," growled Raphael, turning his glare toward Luke and Karen. "Ya _said_ ya knew where Splinter is."

"I said maybe," said Luke, swallowing hard. He glared back at Raph over his mother's shoulder, but Karen felt him tremble slightly behind her. "I think it _might_ have been Splinter who scared Bill and Joe. I'm not sure." Luke sounded very young all of a sudden, and very uncertain.

Karen cleared her throat. "Look, how did you guys _get_ here? I mean, you said you're from the city, right? So, did you drive? I mean, we're a good solid seven-hour drive away…"

Donatello did a double-take. "_Seven hours_?" He stared. "Are we still in New York?"

"Yes," answered Karen, almost smiling. "Upstate. In another twenty minutes you could be over the border into PA."

"What's PA, Dudette?" asked Michelangelo, looking confused.

"She means Pennsylvania, Mikey," interjected Donatello with the patience of repeated explanations.

"Ooooh." Mike shook his head. "Whatever. What does that have to do with that blue light that brought us here?"

"Blue light?" Karen stared at the orange-banded Turtle, confused.

"Yeah, Dudette." Michelangelo grinned. "I mean, one minute, we were takin' on a buncha stupid Foot ninja, and kickin' butt… even Master Splinter was there, 'cause they ambushed us when we went to get his tea, and he likes to pick it out himself…"

"Shut it, Mikey," said Raphael rudely.

"What Michelangelo is trying to say," said Donatello, glancing at his brothers. "Is, we were ambushed by a group of enemies…"

"We know about the Foot," interrupted Luke.

A low growl sounded in Raphael's throat. Luke held up his hands. "You saw the movie," he said hastily. "We know they're your enemies."

"Well, anyway," Donatello glanced at Luke, frowning in concentration. "And Mikey's right, there was a blue flash, and everything disappeared. One minute we were fighting on a rooftop…"

"And winning!" interjected Michelangelo enthusiastically.

"And winning," Don nodded to his brother with a small smile. "The next we were in the woods. It was pitch-black and snowing and we were alone. The Foot were gone, and…"

"And we didn't find Donny for like, a day, Dude," said Michelangelo. "But Raph an' me were together. We found Donny an' Leo. An' then we all went lookin' for Master Splinter."

"Leo wasn't far from where I landed," said Donatello thoughtfully. "We found each other pretty quickly. But we don't know what happened to Splinter."

"And all this happened… two days ago?" Karen looked from one to the other, trying to sort it out in her mind.

"Yes, about that," said Donatello. A yawn overtook him so suddenly, Karen almost laughed at his slightly startled expression.

"You guys must be exhausted," she said sympathetically. "Have you gotten any rest?"

"No," admitted Don sheepishly, glancing at the others. "Well…"

"You haven't slept at all, have you?" Karen stared at him. He glanced at her rather guiltily.

"Umm… Well, we have, a little. I don't think Leo has at all, though."

"We haven't had _time_ fer sleepin'," snapped Raphael. "Splinter's _out _there somewhere. We gotta find 'im!"

"Raph…" Michelangelo reached out, patting his brother's arm.

"_Can it,_ Mikey," growled the muscular Turtle.

"Take it easy, Raphael," Karen scolded absentmindedly. "Listen, you boys obviously need to rest."

"We gotta go get Splinter!"

"Raphael." Karen turned on him. "I've already _told_ you, there's no way you can go down to the cave tonight. It's dark and that field is full of ruts. It's _dangerous._ This isn't New York City. There are no streetlights. There are _predators_ that come out at night."

"I can deal with 'em," responded Raph.

"I have no doubt you can take care of yourself ordinarily," said Karen firmly. "But you're exhausted and half-frozen. You need to _rest. _You're not going to do your father, your brother, or yourselves any good if you don't get some _sleep._"

She turned to her son. "Luke, where's the air-mattress? Let's get it set up."

"You don't have to go to any trouble," protested Donatello.

Karen shook her head. "Nonsense. This might be the weirdest thing that's ever happened to us, but you're here. You're our guests now."

_And we're going to take care of you whether you like it or not,_ she added mentally. _You might be fighters or ninjas or whatever, but you're still a bunch of teenagers. You're too young to be out wandering around on your own._

"Go get the air mattress, Luke."

Luke nodded, heading for the hall closet.

"I'll give ya a hand, Dude," said Michelangelo. Luke looked startled for an instant before he broke into a wide grin. "What?" asked Mikey suspiciously.

"Well," said Luke, ducking his head shyly. "It's just… Well, it's not every day I get to have a sleep-over with super-heroes."

Michelangelo chuckled. "I guess it's your lucky day, Dude."

"Great. Jus' great," growled Raphael, watching his brother follow Luke into the hall. "Mikey's got a new pet."


	6. Chapter 6 Tell

_**Chapter 6 ~Tell~**_

Karen rolled over in her bed with a groan.

_What a weird dream. Turtles…_

She sat up, stretching and yawning, and grabbed her sweats off the floor. Pulling on a sweatshirt over the tee-shirt she'd slept in, she headed toward the kitchen.

_Mmmm, smells like Luke made coffee,_ she thought, sniffing. _Great. I could sure use a cup. I wonder why he's up so early…_

She stepped into the kitchen and screamed.

Donatello spun around, in the same motion yanking the staff from the holder at his back and dropping the cup of coffee in his hand. It shattered on the floor. The Turtle winced, jumping aside as hot coffee splattered against his leg.

"Donny!" A second Turtle jumped up from his seat at the table, startling Karen. She saw him pull his tightly wrapped forearm close to his plastron. He swayed slightly, staring at her with dark, suspicious eyes.

"Ummm… sorry," muttered Donatello. He motioned to his brother. "Leo, relax."

"D…D… Donatello?" she managed between gasping for breath. "I… I thought it… it was a dream."

"Nope." Donatello smiled.

"Leonardo, are you sure you should be up?" she asked, turning to the one at the table.

"I'm fine," he said shortly. He gave her a brief, formal bow. "I'd like to thank you, for letting us stay here."

"It's not like I had a choice," said Karen dismissively. "I can't very well turn a bunch of kids out into the cold."

The blue-banded Turtle started to answer, but Raphael appeared in the doorway.

"You two ok out here, Donny?" he growled.

Karen's breath caught in her throat. Without his mask, Raphael looked less dangerous, but his amber eyes at close range were even eerier. She edged away, glancing at Donatello who was grinning sheepishly. Leonardo had sunk back into his seat. He was watching her warily.

"Yeah… I guess we kind of scared each other," Donatello said, slipping his staff back into the holder. "I'm sorry about the cup, Mrs. Vincent. I'll clean it up."

"Oh, it's ok… Donatello." Karen swallowed hard, forcing herself to draw a deep breath. "I'll get it. Just watch you don't step on the… glass. Oh!"

"What?" Donatello's eye ridges rose.

"You're not wearing any shoes."

"Oh. Well, we almost never do. Except when it's really cold."

"You're all going to need shoes," she said firmly. "And more warm clothes. You can't be running around without them in this weather."

Karen moved toward the laundry room, feeling more in control now that she had something to do. "There are paper towels over the sink," she said over her shoulder. Don nodded gratefully, reaching for one to wipe the coffee off his leg.

"Mom? Are they still here?" Luke wandered into the kitchen, looking more than half-asleep. Raphael had moved to the table where he perched on a kitchen chair near Leonardo, watching the humans suspiciously.

"Yeah, they're here," said Karen with a tight smile. She carried a sponge-mop and broom into the kitchen. "Watch your feet, Donatello," she said, poking in his direction good-naturedly with the mop.

"Hey, Leonardo. Are you feeling better?" Luke grinned at the blue-masked Turtle, who returned his smile with a dark-eyed look.

"I am, thank you," he said a bit stiffly.

"I can clean that up, Mrs. Vincent," said Donatello, moving aside.

"That's ok. And you can call me Karen," she said. "All Luke's friends do."

Donatello grinned. "All right. And it's just 'Don'." Karen flashed him a smile and got to work cleaning up the spill. "At least let me pour you a cup of coffee, Karen," he offered.

"Ok. As soon as I get this cleaned up I'll fix us all something to eat. Do you guys like eggs?"

"I can cook, Dudette." Michelangelo joined the crowd in the kitchen.

Raphael groaned. "All you can make is _scrambled_ eggs, Mikey," he grumbled.

Karen stared. "You guys can… cook?" she asked.

Luke snickered. "Not Leonardo," he said. "He's _known_ for destroying kitchen appliances." The brothers stared at him. Luke held up his hands in defense. "In the cartoons at least." He flushed, glancing at Leonardo. "I guess not all that stuff can be true, huh? I mean, it's just a tv show, right?"

"Well…" Donatello glanced at the scowling blue-banded Turtle. "Leo _does _have a knack for setting off the smoke detector."

"Cartoons?" Leonardo was scowling. "What are you…"

"Dude, Leo could burn _water._" Mikey interrupted with a chuckle, his voice slightly muffled with his head inside the 'fridge. "Do ya got any bacon, Mrs. Vincent?"

"Karen. And I'll make French toast if you want, Michelangelo," she replied, sweeping the last of the glass into a pan.

"Oh, Mom, can you make the kind with peanut butter and cream cheese?" asked Luke.

"Umm, sure, I think so," said Karen, ignoring Raphael's snort of disgust. "Michelangelo, will you see if there's any cream cheese? It would be in the door."

"Yeah, here's some," Michelangelo stood up, his arms loaded down with cream cheese, eggs, milk and butter. He nudged the door closed with his shoulder and nearly dropped the eggs. Donatello snatched them before they could hit the floor.

"Nice goin', Chucklehead," said Raphael. "Ya almost scrambled da eggs after all."

"Ow!" complained Mike. "My arm! I forgot…" he set the remaining food on the counter and clutched dramatically at his bandaged arm. "I'm a wounded Turtle…"

Karen chuckled at the theatrics, noticing that even Leonardo couldn't hold back a slight grin.

"Let me have a look at that," said Donatello, setting the eggs on the counter. Despite Michelangelo's protests, he peeled the bandage back and examined the wound, pressing at the edges with gentle fingers before covering it again.

Luke made a face. "Eeew," he muttered.

Raph snorted. "Whatsa matter, Kid? You can't stand da sight of a little flesh-wound?"

"He's his father's son, that's for sure," said Karen, hiding a grin behind her coffee cup. "John can't stand the sight of blood, either."

"I t'ought you said yer husband was gone?" Raphael was watching Karen suspiciously.

"He is. We've been divorced nearly five years," said Karen briskly.

Luke shrugged. "Mom's the doc, not me," he said. His eyes lit up. "Hey! I've gotta call Dad! He'll want to meet you guys."

Four sets of eyes swiveled to stare at Luke in shock and horror. The expressions weren't lost on Karen. The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees as Luke started toward the door.

"No!" Leonardo barked.

Karen turned to glare at him, fear and anger warring in the pit of her stomach. The atmosphere of the room shifted from a slightly awkward gathering of unexpected guests to something more menacing. The silence grew as the woman and the Turtle stared each other down.

Donatello was the first to recover. In two steps, he was next to Luke. Karen scowled, but she saw with relief that his grip on Luke's arm was gentle.

"Luke… you can't…" He glanced at Leonardo. "You can't tell your dad about us."

"What? Why not?" Luke glared at the Turtle, indignant. "He's my _Dad._ I've got to tell him you guys are here. Don't worry, it's cool. Dad's an animator. He _makes_ shows like the ones about you. He'll be going out of his _mind_ to actually meet you guys."

"Ya can't tell anybody, Kid. Didn't ya get dat last night?" Raphael's arms were crossed over his plastron and his glare was back full-force. "We're not even supposed ta _be_ here. If ya go tellin' people about us, you'll have scientists an' government agents crawlin' all _over_ dis place. We'd be on Bishop's dissection tables in a heartbeat."

Luke shook his head. "My dad would _never_ betray you guys. We'll protect you. We're not gonna let anybody take you away, Raphael, I _promise._"

"How are ya gonna keep dat promise when they come in here holdin' a gun ta yer mom's head, Kid?" growled Raph. "How ya gonna stand up ta da army? No. Ya can't tell _anybody_ we're here, and dat's _final._"

"Whatever, Raphael," Luke shook his head, dismissing the red-banded Turtle. He turned to appeal to Don. "You saw the movie. You guys are super-heroes. People _love_ you. Don't worry. Dad'll understand. _People_ will understand. You guys could… stay here, ya know? I mean… you could get… protection. Like an… endangered species or something. You wouldn't have to hide anymore."

"Movies?" Leonardo's eyes narrowed behind the mask. Raphael snorted.

Donatello just shook his head. "I'll tell you later, Leo. Listen, Luke…"

Karen came closer, taking Luke by his other arm and pulling him gently away from Donatello. "We need to talk. Excuse us, please."

Ignoring Leonardo's glare and the nervous looks from the others, she led Luke out of the room. He snatched the handset on the way by, but Karen didn't comment. She led him to his own bedroom, stepping inside behind her son.

"What do you think will happen if John gets on the Internet and talks to some of his friends about these guys?" she asked.

"Dad wouldn't…" Luke began to protest, but Karen held up her hand, silencing him.

"I don't know if it's a chance we should take." She watched as her son fingered the handset, avoiding her eyes. "Luke, do you remember what the guy said about people in that alien movie we were watching last week?"

Luke frowned. "Yeah. He said a person is smart. People are panicky, dangerous animals."

"Exactly. Your Dad is one person, but he has a lot of friends. Friends he likes to talk to. I don't know if he could keep something like this to himself."

"Luke." Donatello stepped into the room, startling both humans. Karen turned to glare at the purple-banded Turtle. "Sorry for interrupting Mrs. Vincent." He didn't look sorry. In fact, his gaze never left the boy. Karen saw fear flash in those brown eyes and she tensed. A frightened, cornered animal is the most dangerous thing on earth, and every one of her mother's instincts was on high alert.

Donatello didn't come closer. He stopped, holding out his hands to the boy, pleading.

"Luke, you know that anything that gets put on the web _must_ be considered public information, don't you? If…" he glanced at Karen. "If your father tells anyone about us, even if they're… fans," He hesitated over the word, as if it still made him a bit ill. "It's possible _someone_ will take him seriously. It's possible someone could come here, in some wild hope we could be real… Luke, please. Leo insisted on getting up this morning, and I know he looks better, but he needs to rest."

Karen touched her son's shoulder. "Luke, I've never tried to interfere in your relationship with your dad. All those crazy role-playing games you guys like to play…" Something flickered in the boy's eyes, but Karen pressed on.

"I'm sorry. They're not crazy. I know they're important to you. But Luke, these… boys, they're real. They can be hurt, like Leonardo is right now. They are _alive_, like you and me. Maybe they started as fictional characters, but however it happened, right now they are here and their safety, possibly their lives, depend on our keeping their secret."

There was a long, tense pause. Luke's hand on the cordless handset was so tense his knuckles were white. "Dad will understand," he said, pleading. "He'll keep the secret, I _know _he will. Mom, please."

"I think it's a bad idea," said Karen softly. "Luke, I'm sorry. I know you love your father. It feels unfair to me, too. I know how deeply involved he is in his work, and how thrilled he'd be to meet them. But I also know John. He's a good man, Luke, but he's impulsive and…" She hesitated, passing a hand over her face.

"Luke, this is hard for me to say, because I know you look up to your dad, but I think you're old enough to see him as more than your dad. You're old enough to see him as a man, with strengths and weaknesses like anyone else. He's a very creative person. He's passionate and he can be very loving. But he can also be impulsive and selfish. Luke… I… I'm sorry. I don't think we can trust him with this secret."

"You won't even give him a chance!" Luke's eyes flashed with fury. He glared at his mother. "You _never_ gave him a chance!"

"You know that's not true," said Karen softly. "Luke, I gave him eleven years of my life."

"You kicked him out. You made him leave."

"I did what I had to do." Karen's voice took on a hard edge. "Luke, I put up with more than you know. I made excuses for him, tried to overlook his faults, tried to understand… there's only so much a person can put up with. Someday you'll understand."

"I'll _never_ understand." Luke tossed the handset on the bed and stalked away. So quickly Karen wasn't certain he'd moved, Donatello had the handset in his hand. He met her eyes for a brief instant, his expression a mixture of worry, grief, and sympathy, before he backed out of the room.

"I'm really sorry for this, Karen," he said softly.

"It's ok, Donatello. It's not your problem," she said. The Turtle nodded once and left the room. Luke stood next to his desk, a photograph in his hands. His shoulders were shaking.

"You ruined our lives," he whispered.

"Luke…"

"No. Go away. I want to be alone."

"All right." Karen turned away. "Just remember," she said softly. "No matter what happened between your dad and me, I've always loved you."

She slipped out the door, closing it behind her with a soft _click._


	7. Chapter 7 Phone

***Danni sneaks in to chap* *takes a bow* Thank you thank you. It was indeed an honour to update this fic in the absence of the delightful Mary/Mikell. *glances at exasperated Mikell* What? Your reviewers are saying I rock. You gotta let a girl bask in her 15 minutes of fame. FYI, Danni=Diva Danielle ;-) You know, the crazy English one, which is apparently how I'm known *looks pointedly at Mary* Now without further ado, I will step aside and hand the reigns back over to the brilliant and talented author, Miss Mikell. Take a bow darling. And now...LIVE FROM NEW YORK IT'S SATURDAY NI... erm I mean...HEROES AND FRIENDS! *blushes* Always wanted to do that.**

**_Chapter 7 ~Phone~_**

Karen made her way into the now-empty kitchen and put on a pot of water to boil, rubbing her temple with her fingers, trying to fight off the impending headache.

_Coffee's not going to cut it. I need a cup of tea. _She began assembling the ingredients for the French toast, though she didn't feel much like eating anymore.

_The boys will need to eat something. Hardly any sleep in two days, and I'd bet they haven't eaten either. I can't imagine Luke going for two days without eating or sleeping._

Karen sighed._ Oh Luke. I wish your Dad was really the man you think he is. I wish he could be your hero, the way he was when you were small. I wish you never had to realize the reality of life, that sometimes people just can't live up to your expectations. Sometimes people, even the people who mean most in the world to you, can let you down._

The tiniest noise behind her made Karen whirl, startled. Michelangelo was leaning on the doorframe, grinning.

"Hiya, Karen," he said.

"Geez, Michelangelo. You scared me half to death," she said. "Did you need something?" She turned back to the cupboard, reaching for a teacup.

"Naw. I'm just supposed to talk to you while Donny does somethin' to the phone wires."

"What? What is Donatello doing to… what on earth is he doing? Where is your brother?" Karen turned on the young mutant, stalking toward him, glaring.

Mikey backed away. "I… what? No, Donny's not doin' anything, honest," he said, shaking his head. "I… I was kidding. Yeah, that's it, kidding." A nervous chuckle escaped him. Karen advanced until Michelangelo's shell brushed the wall.

"Where. Is. Your. Brother?" she asked again, glaring into his blue eyes.

"Umm, Raph made Leo go back an' lay down for a while, 'cause he was lookin' kind of pale. Leo didn't want to, but Raph said he'd sit on him if he had to…"

"Your _other_ brother, Michelangelo," grated Karen.

Mikey met her furious glare with wide blue eyes. He held up his hands in surrender. "Ok, ok… Donny's on the roof disconnecting your phone so you guys can't call in, you know, like the National Guard or somethin' to come get us," said Michelangelo. "Don't be mad, he's not gonna break it or anything. He'll fix it when we leave, ok?"

"I'll break _him,_" threatened Karen, turning and hurrying toward the front door. "Donatello!"

Her forward progress was impeded by a dark green mountain. Or rather, that's how it seemed. Raphael seemed to appear from nowhere in her path. She crashed into his plastron and fell backward, landing squarely on her bottom. Karen glared up at the red-banded Turtle.

"Sorry, Lady," he said with a small smirk. "You're not goin' anywhere."

"Get out of my way," she snapped, scrambling to her feet. "I have a bone to pick with your brother."

"Not gonna happen. Why don't you just relax? We'll get Master Splinter, and in a couple days, me an' my bro's will be outta here an' you can get back ta yer normal, non-mutant lives. How's dat sound?"

"It sounds like we're being held hostage in our own home!" yelled Karen, leaning menacingly toward Raphael.

He met her glare with one of his own, but Michelangelo clapped a friendly hand on Karen's shoulder, cutting off his reply. She turned, startled.

"Oh, come on, Raphy," said Michelangelo. "We ain't holding them hostage! We're the good guys, remember?"

"Good guys don't disconnect other people's phones!" Karen said, shrugging off his light grip.

"What's going on in here?" Donatello came through the front door, brushing snow off his shoulder. His brown eyes went from Raphael's stance with his arms crossed over his plastron, to Michelangelo's uncomfortable shifting, to Karen's furious glare.

He groaned. "Mikey! You were _supposed_ to distract her. Not tell her what I was doing!"

"Yeah, nice goin', Chucklehead," added Raph with a smirk. "It's done though, right, Donny?"

Donatello met Karen's eyes. He sighed and nodded. "Yes, Raph, it's done. I'm really sorry, Karen. Please try to understand. Our _lives_ are at stake here. We can't risk you, or Luke, calling someone who might give us away. We'll be out of here as soon as we can, I _promise._ As soon as Leo's well enough to travel."

Karen glared at him, unrelenting. "We were _trying_ to help you," she said. "We were trying to do what was _right_. We _trusted_ you, let you into our _home, _and this is how you repay us? By taking us _prisoner_?"

"No, Karen, it's not like that," said Don.

Karen shook her head. "I don't want to hear it. It's obvious you're not going to let me take my son and leave."

Raphael's snort answered her unasked question.

"I trusted you," she said to Donatello. Her gaze landed on Michelangelo. He looked back at her, his blue eyes pleading. Karen turned away. "Clearly that was a mistake. Some heroes you turned out to be."

She walked back into the kitchen and turned off the burner under the teapot.

_I'm going to need something stronger than tea to get through this,_ she thought.

"Mom?" Karen turned to face Luke as he came into the kitchen. "I… you were right. I… I still want to tell Dad, but… but maybe we could… have him come out here? He could meet them in person, and they'd _see_ he's ok, you know?" Luke looked at his mother, pleading. She gave him a tired smile and his face melted into a relieved grin. "He'd never believe me anyway," he said.

Karen shook her head. "Sorry, Luke. You're not going to be able to call your Dad."

"What? Why not?" The boy scowled. "Mom, you said you wouldn't interfere!"

"Not me. Your 'heroes'," she said, holding up her hands. "Donatello saw fit to disconnect our phone. Luke… I know you think these guys are movie characters, but they're not like they are in the movies. They're dangerous."

"Mom, Donatello would never…"

Karen shook her head, interrupting him with a look. "Donatello _did_, Luke. And they're not going to let us leave, either. We're trapped, unless we can sneak out somehow…"

"Please don't do that, Karen." Leonardo's voice startled Karen so badly she whirled to face him, furious. "We'd just have to track you and bring you back again. Believe me, you wouldn't get far."

Karen watched, her eyes narrowing dangerously. Leonardo was trying to stand straight, but she could see a slight tremor shaking him. He was still weak, but there was a determined look in his dark eyes.

Luke backed away from the Turtle, disbelief and fear showing clearly in his face. "You… Donatello… cut off our phone? Why would he do that? Why are you doing this?"

Karen moved instinctively to shield her son.

Leonardo shook his head. A flicker of what looked like regret passed over his features. "Luke, I'm sorry. Don says you think of us as heroes. That's very flattering, but I'm just trying to protect my family here. We don't mean you or your mother any harm."

"Leo!" Donatello's voice was sharp with alarm and annoyance. "Leo, what are you doing up? I asked Raph to get you back to bed…"

"I'm not going to bed, Don," snapped Leonardo. "We've got to find Splinter."

"Leo, I…"

"Don, did you really shut off our phone?" Luke interrupted the argument.

"Luke, I know this seems unfair." Donatello looked imploringly at Karen, but she returned his look with a hard glare.

"It's just a day or two," said Leonardo. "We'll try not to inconvenience you and we'll leave as soon as we can. Please try to understand."

"Oh, I understand all right," snapped Karen. "I _understand_ you guys are all about honor and honesty, when it's _convenient_ for you. You expect us to trust you, but you don't trust us. You're not guests." She turned away, gripping the edge of the counter so hard her knuckles turned white. "And you're not heroes. You're _terrorists._"

"Karen…"

Donatello sounded hurt, but Karen continued, whirling to face them. Leonardo was standing straight, returning her glare. "You broke into my barn. You came into our home under false pretenses, pretending to need our _help._"

"We _do_ need your help." Don's voice was quiet, pleading.

Karen was having none of it.

"Get _out_," she hissed. "Take your brothers and your weapons and get _out of my house._"

"Mom!" Luke's eyes opened wide with shock.

Donatello was shaking his head sadly. The look he gave Karen caused her heart to twist.

"Leo," he said softly. "She's right. We can't do this. We can't hold them hostage."

Leonardo looked startled. "Donny…"

The purple-banded Turtle met his look steadily.

"What would Splinter say?"

Karen saw pain flash across Leonardo's face. His shoulders slumped. Suddenly he looked very young and very alone.

"You're right, Donny," he said softly. Turning to the humans, he gave another of his short, formal bows. "I'm sorry. We… we didn't mean to… to cause you trouble. We'll go. I'm sorry for all this."

"No!" Luke grabbed Donatello's arm. "You're not leaving. Mom, you can't do this. You can't just kick them out. Leonardo's hurt. They don't have anyplace to go!"

"They can't stay here," snapped Karen, still glaring, though Donatello's chocolate brown eyes were enough to melt her heart.

"You're mom's right, Luke," said Don quietly. "We can't hold you prisoner. It's not right. It's not honorable. We'll just… have to take our chances. I'm really sorry, Karen." He turned away and left the kitchen without a backward glance.

"Mom…" Luke turned to his mother with wide eyes. "You can't. You can't send them away like this. What if Leonardo _dies?_"

Karen's eyes were still on the purple-banded Turtle's retreating shell. She saw his shoulders twitch at Luke's words.

"He's not going to die," she said, but her conviction was half-hearted.

Donatello pretended not to hear, disappearing out the door.

"Mom… please. Don't. Don't make them leave. _Please_."

Karen glanced at her son. The tears streaming down his cheeks startled her. "Luke…"

"He was just protecting his brothers, Mom," said Luke softly. "What would _you_ do, if I was hurt and you were in their place?"

"Well…"

"So they can stay?" He gave her his best puppy eyes.

Karen shook her head. "That hasn't worked on me since you were two and wanted a second helping of ice-cream," she told him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So, they can stay?" asked Luke again, expertly deciphering the crack in her armor.

"I… guess so," she relented. "But they've got to understand, I'm not going to be held here against my will. They can stay as _guests_, if they behave themselves."

"Great! I'll go tell them," said Luke, his face splitting into a grin.

"I just_ know_ I'm going to regret this," Karen muttered.


	8. Chapter 8 Guests

**A/N: Danni... You nut. *shakes head* I heart you so much. :) A huge thanks to Danni for updating for me while I was away!**

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**_**Chapter 8 ~Guests~**_

Karen sank down into a chair in her bedroom, wrapping her hands around the mug. By silent mutual agreement, the French toast had been abandoned. She'd fixed herself a cup of tea and vacated the kitchen, allowing Michelangelo to take over the breakfast preparations.

Soon after Luke ran off to talk to the Turtles, Donatello had come back into the kitchen, his expression a mixture of confusion, trepidation and hope. When Karen confirmed that the boys could stay, his shy smile had flashed for a moment before he thanked her formally and disappeared out of the room.

_Avoiding discussing the phone wires,_ thought Karen bitterly. _I suppose I could insist he hook it back up, but I have the feeling he'll very politely refuse. They might be kids, but they're like no kids I've met before. There's a maturity about them… a determination._

She took a sip of the still-hot liquid. _This is too weird. I should've kicked them out. Leonardo was ready to take his brothers and go. But where would they go? And what if someone else found them? They can't just wander around. What if the ended up at Martha's? Or ran into Pete? No… it's better if they stay here. It's a good thing Luke didn't mention my cell phone to them. I'd better talk to him. It's best if we keep it to ourselves that we have a back-up phone. _

_Well, it sounds as if they're done in the kitchen. I'd better go and start cleaning up._ Karen sighed, getting to her feet, and made her way down to the kitchen.

When she got to the doorway, she stood gaping. Donatello and Raphael stood side by side at the sink. As Karen stood staring, Don stacked the clean dishes in the drainer.

"Hey, Raph, you missed a spot on this one," he said, handing a glass back to his brother.

"What? Oh, yeah. Sorry Donny," said Raphael easily, taking the glass. Karen snapped her mouth closed. She hadn't know the red-banded Turtle long, but seeing him so relaxed, helping his brother with a mundane chore, made him seem almost… human. At very least, they didn't seem like a threat.

She cleared her throat. Donatello turned, glancing over his shoulder with mild surprise. Karen had the feeling he'd known she was there all along.

"Umm, hi, Karen," he said.

Raphael spared her a glance over his shoulder and went back to scrubbing at the cup.

"You boys did the dishes."

"Well, yeah," replied Donatello. "Are you hungry? Mikey saved you some eggs," he said tentatively.

Karen shook her head. "I'm ok, thanks," she said civilly. "I'll just make some toast when I come in from feeding the horses."

"Oh, ok." Donatello wiped his hands on a towel.

"Wait a minute," growled Raphael. "We ain't got time fer a lotta messin' around. We gotta go down ta dat cave an' get Splinter."

"My horses need to be fed, Raphael," said Karen. "I'm not disrupting their routine."

"We're goin' ta get Splintah!" Raphael's accent thickened and his eyes narrowed.

Karen's grip tightened on her tea mug. She glared at the red-banded Turtle.

"Raph." Donatello put his hand on his brother's arm. Raphael turned to glare at Donatello. Karen's eyes widened at the way Don returned his brother's burning gaze without flinching.

"Listen, let me get the horses fed, and Luke and I will take you down," Karen said. Donatello turned to look at her, his eyeridges rising. "I know you're anxious to find your father."

"Thanks, Karen," said Don quickly. Karen didn't miss the way he squeezed his brother's arm, warning the older Turtle to be quiet.

She set her cup down on the counter and, ignoring the muttered conversation going on behind her, went to fetch Luke. Hearing voices from inside Luke's room, she rapped swiftly before reaching for the knob.

To her relief, Luke called "Come in."

"Is everything ok in here?" she asked, swinging the door open. Michelangelo was leaning against Luke's desk, an easy grin on his features. In his hands were some of Luke's drawings.

"Yeah, Mom, I was just showing Mikey some of my stuff," said Luke, glancing at her uneasily.

"He's good," said Mikey, waving the papers.

"I know," said Karen with a reluctant smile. It was hard not to respond to the orange-banded Turtle's friendly enthusiasm. "He's been talking about going to Art School in New York City."

"No kidding?" Mikey beamed. "Dude, you should totally come and visit us…" His expression faltered.

Luke shook his head. "Mikey, I don't think the sewers in the city are like what you're used to. I saw a show the other day, Dirty Jobs, where the guy was going down to work in them. They weren't like on the movie. I mean, the tunnels were _tiny_. You'd never fit through them."

Michelangelo straightened. "I… I'm gonna go check on Leo, Dudes," he said. He laid the papers down on Luke's desk and left the room.

Luke watched him go sadly.

"I shouldn't have said that," he muttered. "I'm _such_ an idiot."

"Luke, you didn't say anything wrong," said Karen gently. "Come on. We've got to get the horses fed, then the boys are anxious to go and look for Splinter."

"I know." Luke nodded. "Ok, let me get my boots."

"I'll meet you out there. Oh, and Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"I still have my cell phone, ok? Just don't mention that to the Turtles."

"Oh! I forgot about that." Luke looked at her and nodded seriously. "Ok, Mom, I won't say anything."

"Good. I have a feeling they wouldn't be happy to know I have it, and I don't want them to try and take it," she said.

"Yeah, I guess."

Karen couldn't suppress a half-smile. "I know you don't like lying," she said gently. "Luke, I understand that Leonardo's trying to protect his family, but I have to protect _us_, ok?"

"Yeah, I know." Luke finally looked up. He met her eyes and nodded. "I get it Mom."

"Good. Ok, I'm heading out."

"Ok, I'll be right there."

The newer barn smelled distinctly of fresh pine and warm horses. Karen took a deep breath as she slid the door open, smiling as she heard a nicker.

"Good morning, Blaze," she called softly. The big chestnut horse, named for the white mark stretching from his nose to between his ears, whickered again, snorting softly in the cold morning air. "Hey, there, big guy," said Karen, coming into the barn and patting his nose affectionately.

She didn't turn when she heard the door creak open again, assuming Luke had joined her, but the horse's nervous shuffling and blowing got her attention. Karen glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening in surprise when Luke walked in, accompanied by Michelangelo. Karen was relieved to see the mutant at least wearing the clothes she'd given them. He'd managed to pull a pair of her ex-husband's old sweats up over his shell, and an orange hoodie John had worn for walking in the woods during hunting season. The effect was a bit odd, but at least he would be warm. The temperatures had been high for January, but it was still quite cold.

"Mike wanted to see the horses, Mom," explained Luke, meeting her eye.

_I bet he wanted to keep an eye on us as well,_ thought Karen, a shade bitterly. _Probably under his brother's orders._

"Well, you can come in, Michelangelo, but be careful. I don't want you spooking my horses."

"Aww, animals love me, Dudette," said Mike, his blue eyes sparkling. "What's this one's name? Can I feed 'im?"

"That's Blaze," explained Karen. "Don't get too close, he's nervous. See the way he's lifting his head, and how wide his eyes are? He's a little shy with strangers, and I'm sure he's never seen anything like you and your brothers before. He might get a little freaked out."

"Oh." Michelangelo had been reaching toward the horse, but his hand dropped to his side and he stopped, standing a few feet away from the stall door. "Well, I guess you're not the first one to think we're freaks," he said sadly, speaking directly to the horse. "It's ok, big dude, it's not your fault. It's not every day you see a giant Turtle."

Something about the way his shoulders slumped tugged at Karen's heart.

"Hey, Mike, I didn't mean it that way. He's just… shy with new people, that's all. Here, why don't you come over and say hello to Susie? She's a little older, and she's pretty calm."

"Really?" Mikey's eyes were shining again. He took one last regretful look at Blaze, and turned toward the stall Karen indicated. A gray head poked out, barely clearing the stall door. "Whoa, Dudette, she's all… spotted."

Karen laughed at his genuine surprise. "She's an appaloosa," she said. "She's supposed to be spotted. You want to pet her?"

"Can I?" Michelangelo came slowly closer, reaching cautiously toward the horse.

"Sure, go ahead. That's just right, move slowly, and speak softly to her. Let her see you coming. Go ahead and rub her nose, like this," Karen demonstrated. "She likes it."

"She's soft," said Mikey, his voice hushed. "Hey, Dudette. We could be buddies, you and me, you know? You're not scared of giant Turtles, are you? Not like the big guy over there." He jerked back, startled, as the horse raised her head, shaking it and blowing.

"Whoa!"

"She's just agreeing with you," said Karen, smothering a laugh. "Blaze is a big baby."

"Hey, he is not!" Luke protested from the back of the barn where he was breaking a hay bale into sections to fill the horse's nets. "Blaze is mine," he explained to Michelangelo. "At least, I ride him the most. I'm trying to get Mom to let me ride him over to Dad's this summer. It's only about five miles through the woods…"

"Luke, we've talked about this," said Karen firmly. "It's too dangerous."

"Aww, Mom…"

"Not the time, Luke."

Luke snorted and went back to dividing hay.

Soon the horses had devoured their ration of grain and were comfortably munching hay from nets hung in their stalls. Their buckets were filled with fresh water and the stalls had been picked clean.

"Dude, you have to do all this like, every day?" asked Michelangelo, brushing flecks of hay off his hoodie.

Karen nodded. "Every single day. Horses are a lot of work."

"Yeah. Usually we'd put them out in the pasture, but Mom doesn't like to leave them out when we're not here," said Luke.

"Why not?"

"There've been some rumors going around about a cougar in the area," said Karen. "We're not supposed to have them here, but my neighbor saw tracks a few weeks ago he swears are too big for a bobcat. A cougar could really injure, or even kill a horse." She gave Luke a significant look. "Which is why riding Blaze five miles through the woods alone is a bad idea."

"Whoa." Mikey's blue eyes were wide. "And I thought the city was dangerous!"

"Not all predators have two legs, Mike," quipped Karen. "Come on, let's let these two eat in peace. I'm sure your brothers would like to get going."

"Yeah, we're gonna go get Splinter. Then, I guess we'll get out of here." Michelangelo glanced at her. "Guess you'll be glad to get rid of us, huh?" he asked.

Karen shook her head. "I can't say it hasn't been an interesting experience," she said.

They walked back to the house. Luke was strangely quiet. Karen glanced at him.

"What's up?" she asked, too softly for Michelangelo to hear. She expected him to bring up the idea of riding Blaze again, and began mentally forming her arguments.

"Nothing," said Luke. He drew a deep breath and glanced at his mother. "It's just… I don't want them to leave, Mom."

"What? Luke, they're trying to keep us hostage," she hissed. "They cut off our _phone._"

"I know, Mom, but…" He glanced at Michelangelo, a few yards ahead of them. "They're…" He trailed off, shaking his head.

Karen put her hand on her son's arm. "Luke… I know you think of these guys as heroes," she said softly.

He shook off her hand. "It's not just that, Mom. I… I want to help them."

"Well, let's find this Rat of theirs, and then we'll see what happens next, ok?" said Karen gently. "Luke, they may not _want_ to stay. I'm sure they want to get home… wherever their home is."

"I know," said Luke softly. "It's just… they just got here, you know? And they're going to leave as soon as they get Splinter back. I… I want them to stay, Mom."

_You wanted your dad to stay too, didn't you, Luke,_ thought Karen. Her eyes stung, but she blinked back the tears. _I'm sorry I couldn't make that happen for you. I'm sorry you had to deal with that loss so young. And now it looks like you're going to lose someone you care about again, before you even have a chance to get to know them. _

"I'll talk to them," said Karen softly. "Maybe they could... hang around for a while."

"Really?" Luke's face lit up. "I was thinking, I know there're too many of them to each have their own room, Mom, but maybe I could move into Dad's old office, and two of them could bunk in my room, and two in the spare room? Of course Splinter'll want his own space…"

Karen held up a hand, stopping Luke's enthusiastic chatter. "One thing at a time," she said with a laugh. "Let's find Splinter first, then we can discuss housing arrangements."

"Ok." Luke gave her the first genuine grin she'd seen from him in a long time.

_Oh, Luke,_ thought Karen. _I just hope you don't end up getting your heart broken when it's time for them to go home again. If they can _find_ a way home._


	9. Chapter 9 Search

**A/N: *giggles* **

**She's gonna hate me for this, but... **

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY DREA!  
That's right, it's FairDrea's birthday today! WHOOT! Have a great one, Honey, and here's to many more. May all your dreams and wishes come true. Keep on hangin' on. Love ya Girl.**

**And now... On with the story. :)**

**

* * *

**

**_Chapter 9 ~Search~_**

Leonardo was easily the most stubborn teenager Karen had ever met. _He's going to pass out half-way there,_ she thought. She blew out a sigh of exasperation.

"Donatello, are you _sure_ you shouldn't take your brother back to the house?" she whispered.

Don shook his head. "He won't go," he answered, keeping his voice down. Leonardo shot his brother a glare over his shoulder, but kept going, stumbling only slightly. Raphael reached out, steadying him without even bothering to look up.

"Dudette, don't waste your breath," said Michelangelo cheerfully. "Leo's not gonna stay home. We gotta get Master Splinter, you know?"

"I know you're worried about your father, Mike," said Karen. "But this is ridiculous. If Leonardo collapses…"

"Shut it, Lady. Fearless can take care o' 'imself," said Raphael, his eyes still firmly forward.

Karen's jaw snapped shut. She trekked on ahead, passing both Raphael and Leonardo without a word, deliberately lengthening her strides. Even Luke, who was used to hiking through the rough fields, had to jog to keep up. By the time they reached the hedgerow, Leonardo was falling behind.

"Are we almost there, Karen?" asked Donatello politely.

She glanced back at the Turtles, noticing the determination in Leonardo's dark eyes and the barely-concealed concern in Donatello's chocolate-brown ones.

_Darn it,_ thought Karen. _He's pushed himself too hard. _I've_ pushed him too hard. He's a kid. I'm such a jerk._

She cleared her throat. "We should stop a minute," she said.

Leonardo's gaze was sharp enough to cut through her. Donatello cleared his throat. "I think Mikey's tired," he said quietly.

"What? Dude, I'm not…" A jab to his bridge from a brotherly elbow silenced Mike's indignant protest.

Karen hid a smile. "Maybe Leonardo could stay with Mike," she suggested quietly. "He shouldn't be alone this far from the house. Not with those cougar sightings."

"Cougar?" Michelangelo's voice squeaked.

"We'll keep going. Together," said Leonardo with an air of finality.

Donatello cleared his throat. "Leo, Mike lost some blood yesterday. He shouldn't get his heart-rate up too high. He could open the wound up again."

Karen met Mikey's eyes, silently pleading with him to go along. She saw his eyes widen slightly in understanding.

"Yeah, Dude, I'm a wounded Turtle," he said with a theatrical groan. Luke sniggered as Michelangelo clutched at his bandaged arm.

Leo shook his head, glaring at his brothers. Donatello met his gaze steadily.

"Oh, jus' stay here, Fearless," said Raphael finally. "Me an' Donny'll go have a look at dis cave. We'll get Splinter an' be right back."

Leonardo considered his brother for a long moment. "All right," he said finally. "Just stick together, and be careful."

"Always are, Leo," said Donatello easily. "Lead the way, Karen."

"All right."

They made their way down a narrow trail used by deer. Twice Karen looked over her shoulder to see if the boys were still behind her. The second time, Raphael's eyes narrowed behind his mask.

"What?" he growled.

"You guys… don't seem to make any noise," she explained.

He smirked. "It's a ninja thing."

"Ok then," she said. Behind the Turtles, Luke snickered.

"Ya t'ink dat's funny, laughin' boy?" snapped Raphael.

"Oh, I uh…" Luke stammered, startled.

Karen stopped so suddenly Donatello dodged to one side to avoid running into her. She whirled, pointing a finger into a very startled Raphael's plastron. "Now, you listen here," she growled. "You might get away with this tough-guy act with your brothers, but the _instant_ you so much as _look _at my son in a threatening manner, you _will_ answer to me. Am I making myself perfectly clear?"

Raphael's eyes went wide. He backed up a step, holding up his hands defensively. "Ok, ok, keep yer hair on. Geez."

"You ok, Luke?" asked Karen, her eyes never leaving Raphael's face.

"Yeah, Mom, I'm fine," said Luke quietly.

"All right. Let's get this done. Leonardo should get back and rest," said Karen, finally turning away from Raphael. She met Donatello's gaze. He was staring at her with a mixture of admiration, curiosity and amusement. Karen felt her lip twitch, but suppressed a smile. She'd had enough experience with teenagers to know the slightest grin on her part would be an insult to Raphael's pride.

Donatello had the good sense not to so much as chuckle. He fell into line behind Karen without a word as she stalked off down the path. She could hear Luke's footsteps coming along behind her, but the Turtles still made no sound in the crunchy, frozen leaf litter.

"We haven't had a lot of snow this year," remarked Karen without turning to look. "If Splinter's down here, we won't be able to tell until we get to the cave. There won't be any tracks to follow."

"There wouldn't be anyway," said Donatello. "He'd never give away his position in strange territory by leaving tracks for everyone to see."

"He sounds like a soldier," said Karen.

No one answered.

_I hope we're not walking into something dangerous,_ mused Karen. _Maybe I should've left Luke with Michelangelo and Leonardo? But it's better if we stay together._

Finally she stopped, pointing. "The cave entrance is through there," she said, indicating a small copse of poplars.

"I don't see nothin'," said Raphael.

Karen glanced at him. "We've got to get around that brush," she said. "In the summer you can't see the entrance at all. You'd never find it if you didn't know it was here."

"Well, let's go," replied Raphael, drawing his weapons. His amber eyes were fastened on the brush, his gaze almost hungry.

"Careful," warned Karen instinctively as he started forward.

"We'll be fine," said Donatello firmly. He drew his bo-staff from its holder, following his brother who'd already disappeared through the brush.

Luke was close behind Donatello. Karen sighed and followed, pulling her heavy flashlight from a pouch at her waist. When she reached the cave entrance, Luke was standing, leaning down to peer nervously into the darkness.

"They went inside?" asked Karen, a little surprised.

"Yeah," said Luke.

Movement in the shadows caught Karen's attention. "Back up," she said softly. "Now, Luke."

Snapping the light on, she shone the beam into the opening. She jerked back, instinctively moving to shield her son, as something yellow flashed in the light.

"Karen, you have a light?" Donatello's voice startled Karen so badly she nearly dropped the flashlight.

"Don't _do_ that," she snapped.

"It's empty." Donatello's voice was flat, devoid of even an apology for startling her. "We need the light."

"Take it," said Karen, holding the flashlight out.

Donatello's fingers brushed her hand as he took it and he met her eyes for an instant, his gaze flashing a depth of loss that made Karen's breath hitch.

"Thanks," he said shortly, disappearing back into the shadows, his progress marked now by the beam of light.

By the time the two Turtles emerged from the small, shallow cave, Karen was considering going in after them.

Donatello came out first. He clicked the flashlight off, holding it out to Karen silently, not even meeting her eyes. Raphael emerged a moment later, suppressed fury showing in every line of his body.

"Well?" Karen looked at Donatello, but it was Raphael who answered.

"He ain't here," he growled. "But he was."

Something about his tone made Karen turn toward the red-banded Turtle. She moved closer and laid a hand on his arm. He jerked away, startled. Karen noticed a scrap of brown cloth clutched tightly in his right hand.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's a piece of our father's robe," said Donatello quietly. "He was here."

"But he's not now?"

Donatello shook his head.

"We're gonna find 'im, Donny," said Raphael, his voice daring anyone to argue.

"Of course we are, Raph," replied Donatello with equal determination. He looked up for the first time since coming out of the cave.

Karen felt her heart twist. She wanted to speak, to reassure them somehow, but she could make no certain promises. She shook her head.

"Let's get back. It's cold out here," she said. "Leonardo shouldn't be out in this weather in his condition."

Raphael was already stalking off, back along the path to where his brothers were waiting. Donatello gave Karen a weak smile.

"I'm sorry. We're just…"

"You're disappointed, I know." Karen touched his shoulder. "Don't worry. If he's half as tough as you boys, he'll be ok."

Don ducked so the hood of the dark green sweatshirt he wore hid his expression.

"Yeah," he muttered, starting after his brother.

Luke came up behind Karen, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Geez. Don't be such a _Mom_," he said with a faint smile.

Karen rolled her eyes. "I may be old enough to be your mother," she told him, "But I can still kick your butt." Luke snickered. It was a long-running joke between them. The pair followed the Turtles up the trail.

Michelangelo's stricken expression reminded Karen strongly of a much-younger Luke when Donatello explained what they'd found in the cave in emotionless, clinical terms. Karen heard, to her surprise, a familiar tone in his voice, a comforting lack of emotion she'd used herself when relaying particularly difficult news to a patient's family. It seemed to work on the two Turtles. Leonardo took the scrap of cloth from Raphael, rubbing it almost reverently between his fingers, nodding as Donatello explained what they'd found in the cave. He lifted the sweatshirt he was wearing and slipped his fingers into the leather belt he wore, pulling out a small tuft of grayish fur. He wrapped the bit of cloth around it and tucked it back into his belt.

"At least we know for sure now that he's here," he said. He glanced at Karen. "We found a bit of his hair caught on a twig the first day. This piece of cloth they found confirms it. he was transported here with us."

Don took a deep breath. "There was some blood, Leo. Not much," he added quickly. Karen saw Michelangelo flinch at the words. She started to move toward him, but Raphael was suddenly at his side without seeming to move. He didn't touch the younger Turtle, but Michelangelo glanced at him and visibly relaxed.

"We've got to search. Don, Raph, set up a grid. Mike, you and me will..." His voice trailed off and he swayed, brushing a hand over his eyes.

"No, Leo." Donatello shook his head. "You're in no shape to be going anywhere but back to the house."

"Donny..."

"Don't be stupid, Leo. Ya ain't gonna do Splinter, or us, any good by makin' yerself a martyr," snapped Raphael.

Leonardo locked glares with his red-masked brother.

"Leo. You know he's right." Donatello put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Let's get you back to the house, and then Raph and I can come back and search."

There was a long, tense moment. Finally the blue-masked Turtle nodded. "All right. But stay together. No splitting up..."

"We got it, Fearless," said Raphael. "Don't worry. We'll find 'im."

Karen cleared her throat. "If you guys intend to search back here, I'll come with you. I know the area. You're also going to need more layers. It's too cold out here for just sweats and hoodies. You're already cold."

Leonardo nodded grimly. He glanced at Karen. "Thank you."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry we didn't find him."

The little group made their way silently back to the house walking slowly this time. No one spoke.

As they climbed up the steps, a distinct voice sounded from inside the house. There was a _swishing_ noise as the Turtles drew their weapons, taking instinctive positions on either side of the door. Raphael glared at Karen.

"Who da shell is _dat?_" he snapped.

"I… don't know," said Karen, a bit bewildered. "Luke, did you leave the television on?"

"No, I'm sure I didn't," said Luke.

Another muffled burst of conversation, and Karen frowned. "It sounds…" She shook her head. "It sounds like the TV. Mike?"

"Uh-uh, Dudette. Wasn't me," replied the orange-banded Turtle.

"Well, I'm going in," said Karen firmly. "This is just silly."

"Wait." Leonardo's voice was commanding. She turned to look at him, her eyebrows rising. The Turtle shook his head. "You can't go in there, Karen. You don't know what you're walking into."

"Don't be ridiculous," she replied. Before he could move to stop her, she shoved the door open and strode inside.

Karen looked around, ready for almost anything. Nothing. The house was empty. Nothing moved, nothing was out of place. She waited for a long moment in the silence.

_Dispatch, this is Sheriff Darlee. Can you repeat that transmission?_

Karen let out a relieved laugh. "It's ok, guys. Come on in."

"What is it, Mom?" Luke came in, moving cautiously. Leonardo was close behind, his sword in his uninjured hand.

"Leonardo, put that away," said Karen. "It's the scanner."

"The what?"

"The police scanner."

Leonardo's chuckle startled Karen. It was surprisingly mellow. He sheathed his sword. "It's all clear, guys," he called.

The other three Turtles filed in, looking questioningly to their leader.

"Relax, guys. It's just the police scanner," said Karen, waving a hand at the small box on the counter. It crackled with static and she rolled her eyes and turned it down. "Half the time it doesn't pick up."

Donatello glanced at the scanner. "Well, Leo, you should lie down for a while," he said, tearing his gaze away.

Leonardo nodded. "Ok, Don," he replied softly. "Give me an hour, then we'll regroup and decide what to do next, ok?"

"Sure, Fearless," said Raph.

Leo nodded once, and left the room. Donatello let out a sigh of relief. "He's ready to collapse," he said softly, looking toward the door his brother had disappeared through.

"He shouldn't have walked all the way down there," said Karen.

Raphael snorted. "Like ya could'a stopped 'im."

Before Karen could reply, the scanner crackled again.

_This is Dispatch, calling Sheriff Pete Darlee. Sheriff, there's a disturbance at 1436 Arborglade Drive. Report of an animal in the house. You'd better get over there, Pete. Martha sounds pretty shook up. _


	10. Chapter 10 Animal

**_Chapter 10 ~Animal~_**

Karen blinked. "An… animal… at Martha's? That's right across the field from the cave. Oh, no."

"Are you thinking… could it be…" Donatello stared at her, his brown eyes wide with worry.

The radio crackled again.

_This is Dispatch. Repeat, Sheriff, there's a disturbance at 1436 Arborglade Drive. Report of an animal in the house._

_Gotcha, Jim. I'll… head over that way shortly. Pete out._

"An' dat ol' lady called da cops. We gotta get over there," growled Raphael, fingering his sai.

"Now, wait just a minute," said Karen quickly, moving to block Raphael's path to the door. "Martha is almost ninety. She doesn't see very well, and she's not… well, let's say she doesn't quite have all her marbles. You can't just go storming in there, you'll give her a heart-attack."

"I'll do more than give 'er a heart-attack if she hurts Mastah Splinter," Raphael shot back, glaring.

"She won't hurt him," said Karen, exasperated. "For goodnessakes, it might not even be him. Besides, if he's a ninja _master_, I'm sure he can handle a ninety year old woman."

"But you said she doesn't see very well," interjected Donatello, frowning. "If it really _is_ Splinter, he wouldn't have allowed himself to be seen."

"Tell you what, I'll go over there myself. I'll just call Pete Darlee and let him know not to bother. Martha sees odd things in her house all the time. She calls Pete out three times some weeks. I honestly think she's just lonely," said Karen. "Luke and I can check things out. If it is Splinter, we can calm Martha down and bring him back here."

Raphael made a derisive noise. "Ya ain't goin' nowhere, Lady," he said, crossing his arms over his plastron.

Karen whirled, a retort on her lips, but Donatello held up his hand, stopping the argument.

"Wait. First of all, even if it is him, Splinter would never just go with you. Seriously, Karen, if he feels cornered or threatened, you could get hurt. One of us will _have_ to go."

"You can't go, Donatello," argued Karen. "You'll scare Martha to death."

"And _you_ wouldn't stand a chance with Splinter," Michelangelo piped up. "Seriously, Dudette, Sensei… you don't wanna mess with him."

Raphael smirked. "Yep. He's a ninety pound weapon of mass destruction."

Donatello chuckled. "I think you _should_ go, Karen, but not alone. One of us should go with you. If you can keep Mrs. Willard busy, we could find Splinter and get him out."

"_If_ it's Splinter," said Karen, nodding thoughtfully. "Ok." She pulled a cell-phone out of her pocket.

Raphael's eyes narrowed. "Ya didn't tell us ya had a cell," he said.

Karen glanced at him with a smirk of her own. "You didn't ask."

_And I wasn't about to give up my last line of communication with the outside world, whether you like it or not. If you want this phone, you'll have to take it from me._

She dialed quickly, ignoring the red-banded Turtle's low growl.

"Hello, Pete? … I heard that call on the scanner. Yeah, Martha again, hmm? Well, I was just going to head over there to check on her. How about if I see if I can't deal with her animal 'problem'?… Yeah… If it's anything serious I'll call you… No problem, Pete." Karen hung up, smiling.

"Pete is a great sheriff, but he's just sitting down to a slice of cherry pie at Rosie's Diner," she said with a grin. "He's thrilled to let me go deal with Martha. Ok, Don, I'm ready when you are."

Donatello shook his head. "I can't go, Karen. I can't leave Leo alone."

She shot him a startled glance. "Ok. Well, Mike then."

Michelangelo squirmed. "But I don't wanna leave…"

"Mikey, Leo's going to be fine," said Donatello.

Michelangelo glanced at his brother uneasily, but nodded. "Ok, Dudette. Let's go," he said, standing.

"Luke," called Karen, grabbing her keys. "Come on. We've got to run over to Martha's."

"Now, wait jus' a cotton-pickin' minute," growled Raphael. "No way. Yer not takin' Luke, too. He can stay here wit' Donny an' me. A little… insurance. In case ya get any bright ideas about callin' dat sheriff back."

Karen whirled, glaring at Raphael. "No," she said simply. "I'm not leaving Luke with _you._"

Raphael glared right back.

Donatello cleared his throat. "He has a point, Karen. We're putting ourselves at a pretty big risk here," he said quietly. Karen shot the purple-banded Turtle a furious look.

"You are _not_ holding my son _hostage,_" she growled. "Do you want me to go and get your father or not?"

"Ya ain't both goin'!" snapped Raphael.

"He's not staying with you!" shouted Karen.

"What if Raph goes with ya?" asked Michelangelo suddenly. "He can ninja in an' get Splinter, and Luke's safe here with me and Leo and Donny, right?"

"Well…" Karen glanced at the blue-eyed Turtle. "I don't know…"

Luke crossed the room to grip his mother's arm. "Mom, it's fine. I'll stay with Michelangelo and Donatello."

Karen turned to gaze into his eyes. He looked back, unafraid and gave her a slight nod.

"… Ok," she said finally. "Come on, Raphael. We'd better get over there before Martha decides to whomp him with an umbrella or something."

She turned and stalked toward the door, not looking to see if the muscular Turtle followed. Karen got into the truck, glancing up, startled, when the passenger door slammed closed. Raphael's golden eyes met hers, glittering slightly in the dim light.

"I didn't hear you come out," she said after a moment.

Raphael smirked. "I tol' ya, it's a ninja thing."

Karen shook her head, closing her own door and putting on her seat belt before she started the truck.

"You're going to have to let me talk to Martha," she said.

Raphael snorted. "I can handle m'self. Ya jus' keep 'er busy," he said.

"If you scare Martha Willard, Raphael, I _will_ call the sheriff and you can just deal with the National Guard and anyone else he decides to bring in," said Karen quietly. "She's a dear, sweet old woman and you just remember, _you_ are invading _her_ home. She hasn't done you or anyone else any harm and she doesn't deserve to be terrorized."

"Aww keep yer hair on," said Raph. "She'll never know I'm there."

"She'd better not."

Soon they pulled into the driveway leading up to a quaint old farmhouse. Karen shot Raphael one more dark look. "Wait here."

To her surprise, the dark-skinned Turtle nodded once. His amber eyes were trained on the door, a look of mixed longing and worry taking over his usually hard expression.

"Hey," Karen reached out and touched his arm. "He's going to be ok."

The Turtle glanced at her, startled. "Yeah," he said gruffly. "I know."

Karen climbed down from the truck and hurried up the steps. She paused for a moment to glance back at the truck before knocking. She could just make out the shadowed shape of Raphael still in the front seat, waiting. Karen knocked again. Martha was hard of hearing and it never hurt to be sure she'd heard.

The door burst open, revealing a short, thin woman with a cloud of white hair framing her sweet face. Her hands moved in agitation.

"Oh! Oh, Karen! I thought it would be Pete Darlee. That boy takes so long to come when I call, it's disgraceful, really, when I consider all the years I taught him and his sisters. I should take him over my knee, I truly should," she muttered.

"Hi Martha. I called Pete and told him I'd stop out and check on you," said Karen, giving the older woman a reassuring smile. "He said you had some kind of animal in your house and I thought it might be… umm…" Karen thought fast. "That old stray dog that's been hanging around out back. Luke was feeding him, but he took off on us."

"Well, he's trapped in my bathroom," said Martha, a triumphant note in her voice. "I went to take a shower and there he was, hiding in my bathtub. Near scared the life out of me, he did. I locked the door and called Pete. That ungrateful boy, he still hasn't shown up. I should take him over my knee. Shows no respect for his elders, that one."

Karen smiled, hiding her strain. "Well, Martha, why don't you let me go and have a look, ok? I'm sure I can take care of this for you, and then you won't have to wait for Pete."

"All right, Karen, but you be careful," scolded Martha. "That there dog growled at me, he did. I never did like dogs."

"He was probably just scared," soothed Karen. "Why don't you go and put on a nice pot of tea, Martha? I'll get that dog out of your bathroom for you, ok?"

"All right, Karen, but you be careful. And call me if you need any help, you hear? I may be ninety, but I can still swing a baseball bat with the best of them," said Martha, a sparkle coming into her blue eyes. "I'll give that old dog what for, if he gives you any trouble."

"Oh, don't worry," said Karen with a smile. "I'm sure he'll be just fine."

Martha nodded sharply and made her way toward the kitchen. Karen watched her go before climbing the stairs carefully. Raphael hadn't made an appearance yet, but she watched for the red-banded Turtle, knowing he could appear from almost anywhere.

_Those boys and their ninja-tricks,_ she thought, shaking her head. _They're like green ghosts. It'll never do to have him startle me. If I scream, Martha will come running._ She deliberately slowed her breathing, determined not to shout out if Raphael appeared suddenly.

He didn't. She stood, looking at the glass knob on the very old, solid-wood bathroom door.

_If this _is_ Splinter, I wonder what he'll do if I just march in there?_ She wondered. _The boys seem to think he's dangerous. What if he attacks me? Well, Leonardo and Donatello didn't hurt Luke and I when we found Leo in the barn. Maybe he'll at least give me a chance to explain I'm trying to help. I can't wait around for Raphael forever._

Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned the knob and gave the door a push so that it swung open. The first thing she noticed was the blood droplets spattered on the linoleum.

_But Martha wasn't injured,_ she thought, fear spiking in her chest. _I would've noticed if she were bleeding. _

A sound registered in Karen's mind, a soft but ragged intake of breath.

"Hello?" she called very softly.

Silence.

"Hello?" she tried again. "Listen, I know you're in here. I'm going to come in now, ok? I… don't mean you any harm."

When there was still no response, she stepped into the room cautiously, looking around. There was a slight movement to her left and Karen whirled to face it, stepping back instinctively against the bathroom door.

There, crouched in the end of the bathtub, regarding her with furious, terrified onyx eyes, was a four foot tall… Rat.

Karen let out a half-laugh of relief. He really did look just like the creature in the movie Luke had shown her, except that his fur was slightly darker. He didn't look as… ragged, as the creature in the movie, either. His fur looked smooth and relatively clean, if a bit dusty and ruffled in places.

"Splinter?" she asked softly.

The Rat eyed her warily, pressing himself back against the cold porcelain. Karen was horrified to realize the dark red stain leaking down one side of his robe was not the natural color of the material. She started forward, instinctively reaching toward him.

For the first time he moved, flinching away from her hand, a low growl sounding weakly in his throat.

Karen hesitated. The boys were intelligent, and the Rat, in the movie at least, had spoken with a gravelly Japanese accent.

_What if he's not like the movie at all?_ She wondered. _What if he's not even intelligent? What have I gotten myself into?_


	11. Chapter 11 Splinter

**_Chapter 11 ~Splinter~_**

Karen stepped back, giving the Rat a bit of space.

"Your name is Splinter, isn't it?" she said softly. "I'm not here to hurt you."

The black eyes never left her face. He looked distinctly like a cornered animal, ready to fight for his life.

"I'm Karen. Karen Vincent," she said.

It felt insane to be introducing herself to a four-foot tall mutated Rat who looked ready to rip her throat out at any second, but she didn't know what else to do.

"I'm… a friend, ok? Your boys are at my house. Raphael is here with me. He's downstairs in the truck. We came to get you, to take you to the others." She held her hand out to him cautiously, not entirely certain he wouldn't bite.

"R… Raphael?" The rasping voice was so soft it took her by surprise.

She nodded. "Yes. He was supposed to come in to look for you while I distracted Martha. I'm not sure why he hasn't come in yet."

He watched her, still extremely wary, his whiskers twitching.

Karen shook her head. "Listen, I can see that you're hurt. Let me take you out of here. We can go back to my home. Donatello can have a look at you. He's already taking care of Leonardo…"

His gaze was so sharp Karen felt as if she were being pierced. "Le…onardo," he rasped. "Donatello. My… sons."

"Leonardo's going to be alright," said Karen quickly. "Donatello says he's just exhausted. I found them in my barn. I guess they were looking for you. We can tell you all about it, but right now we really have to get you out of here. Martha won't buy the story I gave her for long if she gets a good look at you. It's just lucky you startled her before."

The creature eyed her, his extreme wariness still obvious in the slow, controlled way he was breathing and the way he pressed his body back against the wall of the tub, keeping his arm clamped over his bleeding side.

"Please let me help you," said Karen again, moving to kneel next to the tub. The Rat glared at her, not quite cringing.

"How… how do I know I can… trust you?" he managed.

"You don't have a lot of options right now," said Karen softly. "Please, Splinter."

Slowly, the Rat nodded, still watching her with those piercing black eyes. "All right."

Karen had the distinct feeling that he was in control of the situation, in spite of his physical weakness.

"Ok. I'm just going to clean this up," she gestured toward the floor. "Then we'll get you out of here." She met his questioning look. "I've got Martha convinced that a stray dog found its way into her house," she explained gently. "It would never do for her to find blood all over her bathroom floor. The less evidence of your presence we leave behind, the better, don't you think?"

The Rat nodded his consent, leaning back in a slightly more relaxed manner and resting his head against the edge of the tub. Still, he watched her every move as she gathered some tissues to wipe up the blood drops.

Karen carefully flushed the evidence. She straightened and looked the old Rat over. "You can't walk out of here, can you?" she asked.

He watched her warily for a moment before shaking his head once in a non-committal gesture.

Karen sighed. "You're going to have to let me carry you."

His black eyes snapped to her face. She could see the angry refusal forming. She held up her hand to forestall it. "We _have_ to get you out of here," she said gently.

"I will walk."

The woman stared. She'd met some stubborn people in her life, but this Rat took the cake. Suddenly she was certain Leonardo's own iron will was a reflection of his father's personality.

"You can't." The look he shot her made Karen's mouth snap closed. "Fine," she said. She stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest. She watched as the Rat struggled to gain his feet, leaning heavily on the side of the tub. He was surprisingly steady for a moment before a tremor ran through him and he sank down again, his head bowed. Karen didn't move to touch him. There was something about him that forbade such familiarity. She waited. He struggled to his feet a second time, but stood leaning against the side of the tub, his breathing a bit more ragged.

His whiskers twitched as his head came slowly up. He gazed at her, his eyes clouded with pain, but didn't speak.

"Please." Karen knelt beside the tub and, very cautiously, she reached out to brush her fingers lightly over the back of his hand. He flinched, but didn't pull away."Let me help you."

Black eyes met hers. Finally, he nodded.

Karen moved slowly. Now that she had his grudging permission to touch him, she felt uncertain and shy. The Rat's body felt tense under her hand as she moved to support his back. She could feel hard muscles ripple and shudder through the fur and rough woven cloth of his robe. He managed to bring one leg over the edge of the bathtub, tipping a bit awkwardly to the floor. Karen caught as much of his weight as she was able, shocked at how light he actually was. He grunted softly, landing, and straightened, still watching her warily. There was a slight glint of something else in his gaze now, not quite trust, but he no longer looked quite so angry and suspicious.

The woman looked him over critically. "You can't just waltz down there in that get-up," she said. "Martha's old and her eyes aren't strong anymore, but she's not stupid. Here." She slid her heavy Carhart jacket off. "You'll need it anyway. It's cold outdoors and you can't risk catching pneumonia on top of that injury."

She wrapped the coat efficiently around the rather startled Rat's shoulders.

"I… I thank you, Miss…"

"Vincent. Karen Vincent," she said with a smile. "You can call me Karen."

"I thank you, Miss Karen Vincent-san," said the Rat gravely. He managed a brief, but courtly bow.

She stared, not sure how to respond. "You're… welcome," she said finally. She leaned down to support him as he moved toward the door. She didn't try to pick him up; she had the feeling he would manage to get out of the house on his own two feet if it killed him, rather than allow the indignity of being carried.

At the head of the stairs, he hesitated. Voices floated up from below, Martha's voice sounding comfortable, and the distinct rumble of a Brooklyn accent.

Karen drew a sharp breath and swore, starting down the stairs.

"Miss… Vincent…" Splinter's voice was strained.

Karen stopped, turning to face him. He was swaying slightly. Before he could collapse, she was at his side, an arm around his shoulders to support him. Splinter grasped the handrail. "My… son…" he rasped, taking a shaky step down the first stair.

"Oh, don't worry, Sir," said Karen quickly. "I'm sure Raphael is fine. Don't worry. Everything will be all right."

He gave her a sharp look, but didn't comment. His pain and distress were obvious in the stiff way he forced himself forward. Karen shook her head at the stubbornness, but didn't try to stop him, only stayed at his side while he navigated the stairs.

"More tea, Mr. Hamato?"

"No, thank you, Ma'am."

Karen stopped short at the bottom of the stairs. Was that? Did she just hear…? She glanced at Splinter. His dark eyes were fixed on the kitchen doorway, where the voices drifted from, his expression a mixture of worry and amusement.

"He was wearing some of my ex-husband's old clothes," whispered Karen. "She must not have gotten a good look at his face."

"Karen? Karen is that you?" called Martha.

The Rat tensed beside her.

"Yes, Martha," called Karen quickly. "I'll be right in. I've got the… um... intruder. I'll just go put him in the truck, all right?"

"Of course dear. Why didn't you tell me your nice young man was visiting from out of town," Martha's voice lilted with the rare pleasure of having company.

"I'm sorry, Martha," Karen answered. "I'll be right back, ok?"

"Yes, dear, take your time."

A smile flickered over Karen's face. She shook her head.

"Come on," she whispered. "Let's get you out of here and then I'll rescue Raphael, ok?"

The Rat nodded, something close to a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Karen reached down more boldly this time and took a gentle grip on his arm. He glanced up at her startled and she felt his muscles as tense as violin strings through the jacket.

"Let me help you."

After a long moment's hesitation, Splinter leaned slightly toward her, allowing her to support a little of his weight as he shuffled to the door. They made their slow, painful way out to the truck. He reluctantly accepted Karen's assistance up into the seat.

She closed him in carefully, only considering a moment before turning on the key and turning the heater on.

"Don't go driving off now," she said mock-sternly, earning a sharp look from his dark eyes.

"I assure you, Miss Karen-san," he said dryly. "I will be here when you return."

"I trust you," she said with what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "I'll be right back."

He nodded, leaning back against the seat as if holding himself upright was exhausting.

_He really is hurt,_ thought Karen, with another nervous glance at the impressive patch of red on the front of his robe. _I only hope Donatello can help him. I wonder how he got so injured. Surely the Billett boys couldn't have done this kind of damage._

She hurried back into the house, shivering in the cold.

The sight that met her in the kitchen would have had Karen snorting with laughter if the situation weren't so serious. Raphael was perched in a kitchen chair, holding a delicate china cup in his impossibly-large fingers. Martha sat across the table from him, smiling myopically at the Turtle.

"And my son served his last tour of duty during Desert Storm, Dear," she was saying. "I'm afraid he didn't come home again. He was a brave boy. Such a brave boy." She shook her head, the grief still fresh in her voice, even after almost twenty years.

"James was a very brave man," said Karen gently, coming into the room. "Martha, I am so sorry to take Raphael away, but I'm afraid the… animal is injured. I really have to get him home and tended to."

Raphael nearly dropped the teacup. "Injured?" His amber eyes glittered dangerously under the hood.

Karen nodded. "He's in the truck. We should get going so we can get him treated."

"Oh, the poor thing," crooned Martha. "I hope he's not badly hurt."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," said Karen. "But we really should be getting back. Thank you so much, Martha, for entertaining Raphael. I have a hard time keeping these boys out of trouble sometimes." She shot him a glance.

"Oh, it was my pleasure, dear, my pleasure." Martha beamed. "He's such a nice boy. I do wish I could find my glasses though. It's most annoying, it really is."

Raphael shifted uneasily. Standing, he carried his teacup to the sink. Karen saw him slip the missing glasses out of his pocket and set them on the counter.

"Well, it was nice talkin' to ya, Mrs. Willard," he said gruffly. "I'll just… wait fer ya in da truck, Karen."

"All right, Raphael," said Karen easily. "Oh, Martha, I think I see your glasses." She moved across the room, giving Raph time to slip out the door. "They're right here on the counter."

"Oh, dear, I could've _sworn_ I'd left them on the microwave," fussed Martha as Karen handed her the glasses. "I must be getting senile in my old age."

"Don't be silly," said Karen, knowing the elderly woman was more lucid at the moment than she had been in a while. "I'll give you a call tomorrow, alright?"

"Yes, Dear. I'll be here," said Martha with a bright smile. "Maybe you can bring that young man over again sometime. It was so nice, talking to him. He's so polite!"

Karen chuckled. "I'll see, Martha. Raphael is visiting from out of town. I'm not sure how long he'll be here."

"Such a nice young man," said Martha again, beaming. Her eyes seemed magnified behind the thick lenses. "Well, goodnight, dear."

"Goodnight, Martha."

Karen gave the fragile hand a gentle squeeze and took her leave, breathing a sigh of relief as she stepped out on to the porch. She hustled to the truck, where Raphael was already sitting, turned toward his father. Splinter was leaning slightly toward the Turtle, but still managed to hold himself upright. The two were talking softly as Karen climbed in. She caught a few words of the conversation, but to her shock she couldn't understand the words.

"Excuse me," she said finally. "May I ask what language you're speaking?"

"Forgive me, Miss Karen-san," said the Rat a bit stiffly. "My sons and I speak Japanese. It was rude of us to converse so in your presence."

"Oh, not at all," said Karen quickly. "I'm sorry to have interrupted. I was just curious, that's all."

_I'm sure if you wanted me to understand you, you would've been speaking English. You don't trust me at all, do you? Well, the feeling is mutual._

"Raphael, how on earth did you end up sitting down to tea with Martha?" She glanced curiously over at the Turtle.

"I got in ok, but you were already upstairs. Da ol' lady was headin' up after ya, so I... distracted 'er," explained Raphael gruffly.

"You took a bad risk."

"I tol' ya, I can handle m'self."

Karen shook her head, annoyed. _All's well that ends well, I suppose._ She eased the truck down the road toward her own home, an uncomfortable silence taking over the cab. As she pulled into the drive, she glanced over at Splinter. He'd bowed his head, and his eyes were closed, as if he were resting. Raphael was watching him with a worried look.

"Sensei, we're here," he said softly. Splinter didn't respond. "Sensei?"

Karen shifted the truck into park and turned off the ignition. Raphael touched the Rat's shoulder, nudging him gently.

"Sensei? Master Splinter? _Father?"_ The Turtle's voice went high with fear, but the Rat didn't move. He'd slipped into unconsciousness.


	12. Chapter 12 Fear

**A/N: Slight gross-out warning for a description of Splinter's injury in this chap. I don't think it's dreadfully graphic, but you probably don't want to read this one while eating breakfast. (which is what I was doing while I edited...) LOL**

**I went ahead and gave you the translations from Japanese within the text. Obviously Karen doesn't understand what's being said, but I find it annoying when characters carry on conversations I can't understand. No, I do not speak Japanese. I use the free online "English to Japanese dictionary" as a reference, so to anyone who actually does understand the beautiful language, I apologize for my lack of skill in rendering it here.**

**EDIT: Thanks to Sabra Jaguar for catching my typo! *fixed*  
**

* * *

**_Chapter 12 ~Fear~_**

Raphael shook Splinter's shoulders. "Father? Father!"

"Raphael, don't do that," snapped Karen. "You could aggravate his injury."

"Injury?" The Turtle looked up at her.

Karen blinked, startled. Over the past day and a half, she'd seen Raphael's eyes smoldering with fury, watching his youngest brother's antics with a suppressed amusement, or sharp with suspicion. Seeing the look he was giving her now tore at her heart. His eyes were stretched wide, fear showing plainly.

"Ya said yer a doctor. Ya've gotta help 'im," he muttered hoarsely.

The mixture of command and plea in his voice was achingly familiar. Karen had heard it from many patient's families over the years, demanding the best care for the ones they loved. Those who pleaded and demanded healing of her were the families she remembered. They were the ones who rejoiced intensely when the patient recovered, and grieved the hardest when there was nothing more to be done, sometimes thanking her for her care, and other times railing against her, blaming her for what death had stolen from them. Karen didn't take the time to wonder how the Turtles would react to losing their father. She could feel a faint pulse through the thinner fur along the Rat's jaw. As long as there was still life in the body under her hand, there was still a chance of repairing the damage that it had suffered. All other thoughts had to be ignored.

"Go get your brother," said Karen firmly. "He's more familiar with his physiology than I am. We'll get him stabilized and moved into the house."

The Turtle gave her a quick nod and practically flew out of the truck. Very gently, Karen lifted the Rat's limp body off the truck seat, marveling at the unexpected softness of his fur. Inappropriately, she thought of a golden retriever she'd petted once. He groaned softly, but his eyes stayed closed. Karen drew a deep breath and pulled back the robe to get a better look at where the disturbing amount of blood was coming from. Karen frowned, finding strips of what seemed to be toweling wrapped snugly but a bit sloppily around the Rat's torso. Tugging the end of the towel loose and pulling it away, she drew a sharp gasp.

The fur along his right side had been peeled neatly back, the skin hanging loose, revealing muscle and a thin white stretch of rib. The wound looked relatively fresh, though the bleeding had mostly stopped.

_What could have done this? _Karen swore under her breath, working quickly. She reached around, probing his side gently, searching for breaks. Nothing seemed to be out of place. She lifted the skin back up, careful to keep the fur clear of the wound.

"We'll have to get you cleaned up," she told the unresponsive Splinter. "And get this patched."

The door flew open, causing her to look up with a jerk.

"What's happened? What are you doing to him?" Donatello clambered into the cab, clearly frantic.

"He's got a severe laceration to his right side," said Karen, taking a clinical tone to reassure and focus the Turtle. It was working. He was visibly shaking, but as she spoke, his rapid breathing slowed and his hands moved instinctively to support and steady Splinter's head. "He's lost quite a bit of blood, but it looks like he used some of Martha's towels to bind the wound, which is probably why he didn't bleed out."

_At least that explains why he was in the bathroom,_ thought Karen. _It's remarkable that he survived. He must've been losing a lot of blood._

Donatello nodded. "He's been taking care of us for sixteen years," he said softly. "He would know how to treat something like this."

"He's going to need stitches." Karen pretended not to notice the darkening stain around Donatello's eyes. "We're going to have to get him inside, clean him up, and get this side stitched. Will the others let me help him?"

Don met her gaze and nodded. "If I stay with you," he said. He shivered, and Karen realized he wasn't wearing the clothes she'd given him.

"Darn it, Donatello," she snapped. "You need to get inside, _now._"

"What?" Another shiver shook him, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Inside. Now." Karen slid out of the truck, coming around to the passenger side. She caught Donatello's bicep and tugged him gently back, startled at how cold his skin was under her hand. He hit the ground, swaying slightly. "You're freezing. Get inside, _right now_," she ordered. He wavered. "I've got him, Donatello."

Still, Donatello wouldn't move until Karen gathered the Rat up, cradling him against her chest, careful to wrap the coat around him for protection against the increasing wind. He weighed around a hundred pounds, and Karen swayed slightly, finding her balance. She often carried one-hundred pound bags of feed for the horses, but Splinter couldn't be tossed over her shoulder like a sack of grain.

"I'll take him…" Don reached toward her, but Karen shook her head.

"Let's _go_," she snapped. When Donatello still hesitated, she glared at him. "Go," she said firmly. Finally Don nodded and moved toward the house, glancing anxiously over his shoulder to be sure Karen was following.

She wasted no time, carrying the Rat into her own bedroom. She hesitated for only an instant before laying him down on the dark green comforter. _John liked that blanket, but I've always wanted something lighter anyway,_ she thought. She was vaguely aware of raised voices outside the door.

"Donny, Splinter…"

"You've got to stay _out_, Leo."

"Don, Splintah's hurt!"

"I know, Raph! That's why you have to stay out of here and let us work!"

Karen stood up and went to the door. Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo were all flanking Don, who was blocking the bedroom doorway with his shell. He was facing his brothers down, glaring.

"Donatello's right," she said firmly. "I know you guys are worried about your father, but you're going to have to wait. You can see him soon, I promise, but right now he's hurt and you three are keeping us from helping him."

Raphael glared at the woman. Before he could speak, Leonardo laid his hand on his shoulder. The red-banded Turtle glanced at his brother. A silent communication passed between them. Raphael scowled, but turned away. Silently the other two filed after him, toward the living room.

"Call us the moment he's awake, Don," said Leonardo over his shoulder.

Karen watched, amazed, for an instant before turning to follow the purple-masked Turtle into the bedroom. Donatello knelt beside the bed, the larger first aid kit already in his hands.

"We'll need to clean this wound," she said gently. "Would you like me to do the stitching?"

Donatello nodded, glancing at her. He swallowed hard. "I've never had to stitch Sensei," he said, his voice cracking. "I helped him with Raph's arm once, but… but _I've-never-done-it-by-myself_," he finished in a rush.

Karen reached out instinctively, taking the Turtle's hand in her own. "Donatello, I need you to do one thing for me. I need you to take a deep breath and decide that you can handle this. I'm going to need you to assist on this, ok? "

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, apparently taking her at her word. When his chocolate-brown eyes met hers again his gaze was steady.

"Are you ready to do this?" she asked. Donatello nodded. "All right then. Can you sort out the needle? I'll try to calculate the proper dose of penicillin."

"You have penicillin?" Donatello glanced up, hope lighting like a candle in his expression.

Karen nodded with a grim smile. "We keep it on hand for the horses," she explained. "But it's the same medication, for horse or human." _Or whatever._ "Do you know if he has any allergies?"

"Not that we know of," replied Donatello.

Karen watched long enough to be sure he understood how to thread the sturdy surgical needle before leaving him to it while she fetched the medication. Estimating the Rat's body weight, she measured out an appropriate dose. By the time she returned to the bedroom, Donatello had cleaned the blood from around the wound and clipped the thick fur back with a pair of sharp scissors from the medical supply kit.

"Will… will we need to shave this?" he asked.

Karen shook her head. She saw a tremor run him, and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"You're doing great, Donatello," she said. "He's going to be ok." She leaned forward, found a suitably thick place in the Rat's thigh, and injected the antibiotic. He didn't so much as flinch. "Let's get this done," she said, reaching for the needle. "Before he wakes up."

Donatello swallowed hard, nodding.

"Now, if you can hold this in place," Karen guided his hand to press against the flap of skin. She began stitching. Don's throat moved as he swallowed hard, his eyes glued to Karen's hands.

"So, Donatello, you seem to take care of your brothers' medical needs," she said, trying to distract him. "How do you know what to do?"

"Sensei does most of our first aid," he replied softly. "But he's teaching us too. He says he…" He swallowed again. "He says he might not always be there. To take… to take care of us. So it's important we know."

"That's good," said Karen, nodding. "I've taught Luke some basic first-aid too. It's a skill everyone should have. Still… you knew how to set Leonardo's arm. That's a little more than basic first aid."

"Yeah. Sensei taught me two years ago when Mikey broke his leg," he replied with a faint shiver.

"How'd he do that?"

"Skateboarding."

Karen almost laughed. _Skateboarding. What a normal teenage activity. But these are no normal teenagers_. She tied off a knot and started the next stitch. Donatello's hand was shaking. Karen frowned as her workspace quivered.

"You've got to keep that steady, Donatello," she scolded. Glancing up, she caught a glimpse of his face, pale and sweating.

"I… I'm sorry," he whispered, and bolted.

Karen swore softly. She heard his retching clearly from the bathroom across the hall.

_I hope he made it to the commode,_ she thought, before turning her attention back to her delicate work.

She'd nearly finished when a sharp hiss cut through her concentration and a small but wiry hand caught her wrist in an iron grip.

"Hey!"

Karen looked up to meet the onyx glare of her patient burning into her very soul. Instinctively, she reached with her free hand to touch his arm above the hand clamped on her wrist. He wasn't the first patient to react aggressively to treatment, but he was the first whose grip on her arm felt as if it could crush bone.

"Splinter. It's ok," she said, keeping her voice soft and soothing. "You're badly hurt, but we're taking care of you." His black eyes bored into her. "Donatello," she called, without looking away. "I need your help in here."

"I… I can't…"

The Rat's head snapped to the right, toward the door. He squirmed to move his body across the bed, refusing to relinquish his grip on Karen's arm.

"No," she said firmly, moving her free hand to his shoulder. She didn't try to hold him down. Something told her she wouldn't be able to anyway. "You can't get up yet. You're going to have to let me finish these stitches, or you'll risk an infection."

The Rat's eyes snapped back to her face, and Karen flinched.

"My sons…" His voice was raspy, weak.

"Donatello, I need you to come in here _now_."

Karen's urgency brought Don to the door.

"Sensei!" He moved to the bed, kneeling, reaching for the Rat.

Splinter finally released the woman's arm, leaning forward into his son's embrace. He only grunted softly as the Turtle's arms closed around him. Karen edged off the bed, careful not to jostle him, and watched the reunion, fascinated.

"_Otou-chan_." (literally, "Daddy") Donatello breathed.

"_Musuko_…" The Rat's voice was forced, pained and tight with worry. "_Kyoodai doko de?_" (My son… your brothers, are they here?)

"_Watashitachi isshoni desu ka, Sensei._" (We are together, Sensei)

"_Daijoobu desu ka?_" (Are you all right?)

"_Hai, Sensei._"

Karen cleared her throat. Donatello released his embrace and leaned back, though she noticed he kept one hand on Splinter's, as if he was afraid to lose the contact. He swiped at his cheek with the back of his hand.

"Splinter, we'll have to finish the stitches," she said gently, motioning toward his side.

The Rat's sharp gaze met hers once more. "_Donata desu ka_?" (Who are you?)

Donatello cleared his throat. "Father," he said. "This is Karen Vincent. She and her son, Luke, have opened their home to us. Karen helped us find you. She and Raphael brought you back here. She is helping, Sensei."

Black eyes met brown, and Karen had the eerie feeling again that they were able to communicate without words. Some of the tension leaked out of the Rat's body. He turned to face her again.

"I… apologize, Miss Vincent-san," he rasped. "You assisted me... I remember now. When I woke in a strange place, I…"

"It's quite all right, Splinter." Karen held up her hand. "You've been through a terrible ordeal. There's no need to apologize. And I've asked you to call me 'Karen'."

The Rat bowed his head slightly. The woman smiled. He reminded her of her grandfather, a strong man who believed, above all, in manners.

"Will you allow me to finish stitching your side?" she asked.

He glanced up at her, his dark eyes sharp with suspicion.

"Please, Sensei," said Donatello. "She's a doctor."

"_Hai_," said the Rat finally. "If you are willing, Miss Karen Vincent-san."

Karen drew a deep breath, trying to quiet her racing heart. It was one thing to tend to the Rat's injury when he was unconscious. Having him awake and watching her warily was another matter entirely. She'd caught a glimpse of sharp white teeth when he spoke. Donatello seemed to notice her hesitation.

"Maybe… maybe I should do it," he offered.

The woman shook her head. "It's ok, Don," she said. "Splinter, can you tell us how this happened?" she perched on the edge of the bed, reaching for the needle which still dangled from the Rat's side. Very, very gently, she tied off the knot.

Splinter watched her prepare to make the next stitch. He drew a deep, steadying breath. Karen glanced at him.

"It is all right, Miss Vincent-san," he said, with what passed for a smile. "I will not bite."

Karen couldn't help but smile at his wry humor. "I'm sorry, Splinter," she said. "I'll try to be gentle."

"Thank you."

Splinter didn't even flinch as Karen started the next stitch. With more confidence, she concentrated on her work.

"How did this happen?" she asked, glancing up to see how her patient was doing.

For an instant, she was certain she saw a shiver of fear in those dark eyes.

"It… it was a… cat," he said finally.


	13. Chapter 13 Cat

**A/N: I've taken a bit of license with the whole "cougar" issue. Let me clarify before I get a flood of e-mail: **

**Cougars are not considered native to New York. In fact, they have been eradicated here since the early 1900's. However, I recently wrote an article about a local farmer who lost a cow to what looks suspiciously like a large cat attack. While researching the article, I spoke to several reliable witnesses who reported seeing a cougar in the area prior to the attack. **

**Rumors abound, but the facts are: There are a very limited number of large cats roaming New York. They are most likely NOT a native population. They are almost certainly not breeding here. The individuals that have been found in NY may have wandered down from farther North, or they may be someone's exotic "pets" which have gotten loose. Keeping big cats in New York State requires a license. (and, in the course of writing the article, I discovered there is a local man who has a license).  
**

**In short, no cougars are not commonly found in New York State. They do exist here, but they are not truly "native" wildlife.**

* * *

**_Chapter 13 ~Cat~_**

"A cat, Sensei? But there are no large cats in this part of New York," said Donatello. A glance from the Rat silenced him.

"Actually, we do have the occasional bobcat," said Karen, clipping off the last thread. "And there have been some cougar sightings in the area."

Splinter shifted, as if to find a more comfortable position, and she reached to adjust the pillow behind him.

"Where are my sons?" he asked, his dark eyes traveling around the room.

"I'll get them, Sensei." Donatello went to the door, calling his brothers. In moments the room was full of Turtles, all seeming to try to occupy the same space as they crowded around their father. Donatello moved to the foot of the bed, allowing his brothers room. Michelangelo and Raphael gathered close, while Leonardo came around to the other side, placing himself between the Rat and Karen. Luke stood uneasily in the doorway, watching the scene with a wide-eyed, uncertain expression.

"My sons. You are safe."

Seeing a slight shiver ruffle Splinter's fur, Karen fetched a blanket from the closet. Leonardo turned to watch her. He stood up, moving to take the blanket before she could approach the bed. He nodded his thanks, and turned to tuck the covering around his father, keeping his body firmly between the woman and Splinter. The tightly-wrapped arm made it a bit awkward, but he managed.

Splinter sank back with a sigh. "Thank you, Miss Vincent-san," he rasped.

"You're welcome," she said, but his attention was distracted.

"Leonardo… Michelangelo…" Splinter's fingers brushed across Leonardo's wrapped arm, his movement a bit stiff on his injured side. His other hand went out to touch the gauze still taped to Michelangelo's bicep. "My sons… you are injured? How?"

"We're all right, Sensei," said Leonardo. "I… I fell while I was searching Karen's barn, to see if you'd taken shelter there. That's… that's how she caught us." Karen saw him duck his head as if expecting a reprimand.

The Rat glanced at his son, his eyes widening slightly with surprise.

"Leo hadn't slept in two days, Master," said Donatello quietly.

Splinter nodded in understanding and moved his hand to cover Leonardo's.

"Even the strongest warrior can fall to exhaustion, my son," he said gently. "But Michelangelo… your arm?"

"Luke kinda shot me, Sensei," said Mikey. "Ow!" he yelped as Raphael smacked him on the back of the head. "What? It was an accident!"

"You were… shot?" Splinter hissed, struggling to sit up.

"It's a very minor wound, Sensei," Donatello said quickly. "Mikey's OK, honest."

Karen watched the Rat settle back against the pillows, his breathing a bit ragged. His eyes were still on his youngest son, as if searching for some hidden injury.

_Time to change the subject,_ she thought.

"Splinter, can you tell us what happened?"

Splinter glanced at her, seemingly satisfied that Michelangelo wasn't seriously hurt. She noticed his hand was still covering Leonardo's wrist protectively.

"After we were… transported… to this place," Splinter said, "I searched for my sons. I could not find them."

Leonardo moved his hand to grasp his father's. "We were looking for you, too, Sensei," he said softly.

"I know, my Son." Splinter nodded. "I am grateful that you found one another."

"It took us some time, Sensei, but we found each other. Then we searched for you."

"I searched as well, but the cold soon drove me to seek shelter. I… I found a small cave…" Splinter's eyes closed. "I was not aware the cave was already occupied."

"The cougar?" Karen felt as if someone had poured ice water down her spine, imagining the Rat facing a full-grown mountain lion.

"Its growl was my only warning. I attempted to defend myself, but I was weakened with the cold," said Splinter. "It knocked me down. I believe I would have perished, but there were voices, and the creature fled."

"The Billett boys," Karen breathed. "Those boys were hanging around the cave. They must've frightened it off."

Splinter nodded. "I… took refuge in the cave. The… boys… they were not injured?"

"No, they're fine." Luke spoke up from his position near the door.

Splinter's gaze landed on the boy's face. Luke swallowed hard.

"H…hello, Sir," he managed. "I… I'm the one who shot Michelangelo. I'm sorry. It really was an accident, Sir."

Karen moved around the bed, going to stand beside Luke. "Splinter, this is my son, Luke," she said, putting one arm around his shoulders.

Splinter nodded gravely. "Luke Vincent-kun, perhaps you might tell me why you shot my son."

"I'm sorry, Sir. I…"

"Raph jumped Karen," interjected Mikey. "An' Luke meant to shoot him 'cause he was scared he was gonna hurt his mom, but I kinda got in the way, so he shot me instead, but really Sensei, it was an accident, he didn't mean to shoot me, an' it's not even deep or nothin'. We're buds now, right Luke?"

Luke nodded, a faint smile turning up his lips, though he was still pale. Karen shook her head, but Splinter seemed to follow the disjointed story. When he looked at Luke again, his eyes were softer.

"It is an honor to meet you, Sir," said Luke, giving the Rat a short, awkward bow. "And your sons."

Splinter's startled chuckle made Karen smile.

"You have raised a fine young man, Miss Vincent-san," he rasped.

Luke's ears flushed bright red.

"Thank you," said Karen, giving Luke's shoulder a squeeze

"So, Sensei, what happened aftah dem kids scared off da cougar?" asked Raphael. He was kneeling next to Michelangelo, who was crowded close to the head of the bed.

Splinter's eyes flicked to Karen's face before resting on his red-banded son.

_If I didn't know better,_ thought Karen, _I'd say he seems… ashamed. But of what?_

"I… concealed myself deeper in the cave. I feared the animal might return. I waited for it, listening and watching, for hours. I do not know how long." Splinter's eyes closed, as if he were in pain. "When I was certain the creature would not return, I ventured out."

"Sensei, how did you get into the woman's house?" asked Leonardo. He'd knelt on the other side of the bed. His good hand rested lightly on Splinter's forearm. His dark eyes were glued to his father's face as if he was afraid Splinter was an apparition who would disappear at any moment.

The Rat was quiet for so long, Karen began to wonder if he'd fallen asleep. Finally he stirred. "I waited for nightfall. When it was dark, I went out, searching… the weather was growing colder. I could not stay where I was. I could not return to the cave. I needed to find shelter."

"We were cold too, Sensei," Michelangelo put in.

Raphael swatted Mike on the back of the head. Karen felt Luke shiver with stifled laughter beside her.

Splinter acknowledged his son with a nod and a faint smile. "I saw a light, and made my way toward it, hoping to find shelter," he said softly. "I… I thought the house was empty, or that the occupant had at least retired for the evening. Desperation made me careless…" his voice grew hoarse, but he continued. "I slipped inside through a window."

"You broke into Martha's house?" Karen stared, shocked.

The Rat met her gaze with something like shame. "Forgive me, Miss Karen Vincent-san. I meant your friend no harm. I was freezing, desperate."

Slowly, Karen nodded. "I'm sure Martha would understand," she said finally.

"When she discovered me, I… I fled upstairs," he continued. "I hoped to find medical supplies, and escape through a window. I concealed myself, but already the loss of blood had weakened me. I could go no further. I was trapped."

"An' da ol' lady called da cops," said Raphael.

Splinter glanced at him, his features still with shock.

"It's a good thing you have that scanner, Karen," said Leonardo, addressing the woman directly for the first time since she'd threatened to kick them out."Who knows what might have happened if the authorities had found our father."

"Well, Pete's generally a good guy," said Karen. "But I'm not sure what he would've thought of you, Splinter."

"It seems we all owe you our lives, Miss Vincent-san," said the Rat gravely.

Karen felt heat creeping up her cheeks under his steady gaze. _Oh for goodnessakes._

"Nonsense," she said briskly. "Now, Splinter, I think it's time you got some rest. Can we bring you anything?"

"No, thank you," said Splinter, sinking back against the pillows.

"I'll stay with you, Father," said Leonardo.

"You must rest, my son," Splinter replied firmly.

"But Father…"

"Leonardo." Splinter's tone was firm. "I will be here. Go. Rest."

"Yes, Sensei." Leonardo gave the Rat a short, formal bow. Donatello and Raphael got to their feet, following their brother out of the room.

"Splinter?" Michelangelo hesitated, still kneeling beside the bed.

"Yes, my son?"

"You're… you're gonna be ok, right? 'Cause, you know, we'll all be ok if we're together, that's what you always say, right?"

"Michelangelo, our family is united once more," said Splinter gently. "Now, go with your brothers."

"_Hai_, Sensei," said Mikey. He stood up and gave Splinter the same short bow Leonardo had before moving toward the door.

Luke turned, laying a hand on Mikey's shell.

Karen smiled, watching them go.

"They're good boys, Sir," she said.

"Thank you, Miss Vincent-san. I trust they have not troubled your family?" he answered.

A short laugh escaped Karen. She met his dark eyes and saw humor twinkling there.

"They're no more trouble than Luke's other friends," she told him.

"Ah. I am sorry."

Karen laughed aloud then. "It's all right," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "Get some rest."

He nodded, sinking back against the pillows with a sigh, as Karen went out, closing the door softly behind her.

"Is he sleeping?"

Karen jerked with surprise, spinning around.

Donatello gave her a sheepish grin. "Sorry," he said.

"Geez, Don, you scared me half to death," she hissed. Seeing the strain in the teenager's face, Karen relented. "I think he was nearly asleep, yes. He's been through a lot, suffered quite a shock, and lost a lot of blood."

"But he'll be all right, won't he?" Don's brown eyes stared into hers, pleading.

Karen nodded slowly, remembering the rabbit Luke's cat caught the summer before. Its injuries were similar to Splinter's. Despite their efforts to make the tiny creature comfortable, it passed away after only a day.

"We'll need to make sure to get some fluids into him. He's lost a lot of blood, but I believe he's going to be fine," she said firmly, banishing the memory from her mind. "He seems very strong."

"He is." Leonardo stepped out of the living room, coming toward them. The shadows in the hall gave him a hooded, dangerous look. "Come on, Donny. You need to rest, too," he said. I'll keep the first watch."

"No, Leo." Don shook his head. "You're still healing. You need to rest."

"You _all_ need to rest," said Karen firmly, refusing to be intimidated. "Leonardo, there are perfectly good locks on my doors and, other than your father breaking into Martha's house, there hasn't been a burglary around here for as long as I can remember. You're safe here. Now why don't you go get some sleep? I'll stay out here on the couch tonight, in case Splinter needs anything, ok?"

"Karen, you don't have to…" Leonardo sputtered, but Karen shook her head firmly.

"Go to bed. Doctor's orders," she told him firmly. "You too, Donatello. Don't make me tell your father on you."

The Turtles exchanged a glance. Donatello met his brother's eyes steadily for a long moment. "I think she's got us beat, Leo," he said in a stage whisper.

Leonardo stared at his brother for an instant before his face softened into a grin. "I guess she does, Donny." Sobering, he turned to Karen. He held her gaze for a moment before bending in a deep bow.

"Thank you," he said formally.

Impulsively, Karen reached out, gathering the startled Turtle into a hug. "You guys are all very welcome." Releasing him, Karen kept both hands on Leonardo's shoulders for a moment. "Don't worry," she told him. "He's going to be all right."

Leonardo met her gaze steadily, schooling the shock from his features with an obvious effort.

"I know," he said.

Turning away, he put his hand on his brother's shoulder, and they disappeared down the hall toward the bedrooms.


	14. Chapter 14 Courage

**A/N: Just a quick heads-up: For the rest of this week, unless I have reliable wi-fi at camp, Danni will be posting chapters for me. (Thanks, Danni!)  
I will respond to reviews if I'm able, but please be patient, it might be next week before I start responding to e-mail again, depending on internet availability and our schedule. Vacation is usually hectic! LOL**

**And now, on with the show...  
**

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* * *

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**_Chapter 14 –Courage- _**

The old house's noises soothed Karen. She lay on the couch, wrapped in one of the few blankets not already in use by her guests. Michelangelo had crashed on an air mattress in Luke's room. Donatello was bunked down on the other single bed in the guest room with Leonardo. Raphael had chosen a chair in the small den. Karen noticed the red-banded Turtle's choice was closest to the door.

_He's standing guard over them_, she thought, shaking her head. _He may be rough around the edges, but he's obviously protective of the others._

She was drifting off when a faint noise caught her attention. A thumping, followed by a sharp, but muffled cry, brought Karen fully awake. She sat up, staring around the darkened room. Nothing moved. A low groan sent shivers down her spine. Wrapping the blanket more tightly around her shoulders, Karen got up and padded toward the bedroom across the hall, her socks making no noise on the carpet.

She hesitated outside her bedroom door for only a moment. Another muffled moan steeled her resolve. She pushed the door open. The ragged bundle on the bed seemed to be fighting with the blankets that had become tangled around his body. Growls and whimpers accompanied his writhing.

_He'll tear the stitches,_ was Karen's only thought as she rushed to the bedside. She reached out, catching Splinter's arm. She was startled at the heat radiating through his damp fur. _He's… sweating_, she realized.

"_Nooooo…_" The Rat groaned, twisting, struggling weakly to pull his arm out of her grasp. "_Hottoke yo_!" (Leave me alone!)

Karen reached over, clicking on the bedside lamp, illuminating the scene with a gentle glow. The Rat's eyes were firmly closed, his brow furrowed. His body was rigid with tension as he fought and kicked at the blankets.

_He's asleep,_ Karen realized. _He's having a nightmare. _

"Splinter!" she called in an urgent whisper. "Splinter, wake up."

His free arm came up to shield his face, even as he thrashed, a growl sounding deep in his throat. Remembering his sharp teeth, Karen released his arm, only to watch helplessly as he squirmed away across the bed, finally free of the blanket. He landed with a _thump_, somehow managing to get his feet under him even as he fell off the side. He groaned, sinking to the floor, clutching at his injured side. Karen hurried around the bed, but hesitated to approach him. She watched as he hunched, shivering and gasping for breath, clutching at his side. Pity twisted her heart. The Rat's eyes were large and dark in the lamplight.

_At least he's finally awake,_ she thought. "Splinter?"

He growled again, twitching and pressing himself back against the wall, his hands coming up defensively.

Karen knelt down, trying to look smaller, less intimidating. "Splinter, are you all right?" she asked again, holding out her hand. "Do you remember me? You're ok. You're safe now. You must've been having a nightmare."

"Karen Vincent-san." His gravelly voice wavered. "I… apologize. I did not mean to disturb you." He passed a hand over his face.

"You didn't disturb me," she reassured him, standing and approaching cautiously. "Let me help you." He glanced at her, uncertain. "Please, Splinter," she said softly, kneeling next to him. "You shouldn't be out of bed."

Slowly, he nodded, allowing her to grasp his elbow and support him as he struggled to his feet. "Again, I thank you," he said a bit gruffly.

"Nonsense. I'm a doctor. Taking care of people is what I do," Karen replied with a smile.

She felt tremors shivering through him as she helped him back up onto the bed. He laid on his uninjured side, curling his body away from her, his tail twitching uneasily where it wrapped against his ankles. Gently, Karen replaced the blanket, tucking it around him. Very cautiously, she reached out, brushing her hand against his forehead. Splinter jumped, startled, his dark-eyed gaze snapping to her face.

"Sorry," she said, feeling her face flush. "I was just checking for a fever. You seemed to be sweating."

"Yes," he said, looking away. "I am not ill, Miss Vincent-san."

Karen blinked. If not for the fur, she was certain she would see a blush creeping up his face. There was a distinct feeling of shame in the way he avoided her gaze.

"Splinter?" she knelt beside the bed. "I know we don't know one another very well yet, but… are you all right?"

"I… I am fine. Thank you," he answered, still avoiding her eyes. "I apologize again for disturbing you."

Karen rose to perch on the edge of the bed, giving him plenty of room. "It must be hard raising four boys alone, huh?" she asked sympathetically. "I have enough trouble with one."

He turned his head slowly to look at her. "It… it is sometimes difficult, yes," he answered. "I want to protect them, to take care of them. In this, I must never fail."

"Is that why you taught them to fight?" asked Karen, genuinely curious.

The Rat shifted uneasily. "Yes." His gaze never wavered. "The outside world would not understand us. Many humans would harm what they do not understand."

"That's true. Is that what you were dreaming about?"

Splinter's eyes closed as if he were in pain. "No."

Karen noticed the way his hand moved automatically to press against his wounded side, and understanding flooded her. "It was the cougar, wasn't it? You were dreaming about the attack?"

Splinter's eyes snapped open. His eyes were so hard Karen shrank back instinctively. He sighed deeply, and looked away again.

"I'm sorry," said Karen. She reached out a bit hesitantly, taking his hand in her own. He glanced at her, but didn't pull away. Tension quivered through the lightly-furred fingers resting warmly against her palm. "Splinter, there's nothing to be ashamed of," said Karen. "If a cougar attacked me, I wouldn't be able to _sleep_, let alone avoid dreaming about it."

Splinter shook his head. "I am a ninja," he rasped. "I should not have allowed the creature to surprise me. When it attacked…" His eyes closed against the memory. "I… froze. I was unable to fight back. And when it ran away… if it had attacked those boys… those _children_, I could not have acted. Fear defeated me."

Karen was startled to see a tear streak down his fur. A shiver ran through the Rat and he curled more tightly into a ball.

"Oh, Splinter." She stroked the back of his hand. "Everyone is afraid at one time or another," she told him softly. "When we found your boys in the barn, I was afraid. I had Leonardo cornered…"

His dark eyes snapped open, fixing on her face. Karen gave him an apologetic smile. "I didn't know him yet. All I knew was he was a stranger who'd broken into my barn. A very odd-looking stranger at that."

Splinter nodded his understanding, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Then Donatello came in," continued Karen. "He grabbed Luke." She closed her eyes against the wave of emotion that washed over her at the memory. "I was _terrified_," she admitted. "But he backed off when I told him I'd shoot Leo if he didn't let go of Luke." Splinter's fingers twitched under her hand, and Karen tightened her grip just a little. "I don't think I could have actually shot him," she said.

"You would have protected your son," rasped the Rat. "As any parent would have done."

"Yeah, well…" Karen drew a deep breath. "Luke let Leo out of the stall…" Splinter's eyebrows rose and Karen chuckled. "He'd fallen from the rafters into one of the old horse stalls," she explained. She sobered. "We had kind of a stalemate. Luke blurted out that he thought he knew where you were. Leonardo threatened him with his katana, but I still had my father's rifle. It was a stand off until Raphael came storming in and pounced on me."

She hesitated. Splinter was watching her intently now.

"I've never been so scared in all my life," she said softly. "When Raphael jumped me, I couldn't have acted to save Luke. I couldn't even act to save _myself_."

"Had your son been threatened, you would have acted," said Splinter. "In great need, a parent will respond to save their child." His voice was steady but there was a hint of uncertainty behind the words.

Karen shook her head. "I wish I could believe that, Splinter," she told him. She looked up, forcing herself to meet those deep, ebony eyes steadily. "But in that moment, I froze. Even if Michelangelo had attacked Luke, instead of just trying to get the gun away from him, I don't know if I could've acted. I don't know if I could've saved my son. You're not the only one having nightmares."

Splinter shivered, his shoulders hunching slightly. "My fear was for myself," he said, bitterness tingeing his words now. "I hid."

"Of course. Your survival instinct took over. As well it should. How could you protect your sons if you did not survive?"

"How can I face them, knowing myself a coward?" snapped Splinter.

Karen rocked back, staring at him.

"I don't see a coward," she said firmly. She reached out, moving her hand to his shoulder. The Rat looked at her, his eyes hard and burning in the dim light. Karen held his gaze steadily. "I don't see a coward," she repeated. "I see a… person, who wants nothing more than to protect his family. Your boys obviously adore you. Any one of them would give their own lives to protect you, and each other. You've overcome incredible odds to raise four fine young men, a huge task for ordinary parents under ordinary circumstances.

"You've not only brought them safely this far, you've taught them the skills they need to survive, and brought them up to be fine, honorable young men. You've fought to stay alive, to be reunited with them, in spite of terrible circumstances. You could've stayed in that cave and waited to be rescued. Instead you went out, risked running into that cat again, risked being seen by some hostile human, keeping yourself alive so you could keep looking for your sons. If that isn't courage, I don't know what is."

Splinter stared at her for so long Karen finally had to blink. He swallowed hard.

"Again I find myself in your debt, Miss Karen Vincent-san," he said gravely.

"Don't be silly," responded Karen, giving his hand a squeeze. "We parents have to stick together. Now, get some rest. You and your family are safe here."

He shivered, and his gaze searched her face. "Will you…" he trailed off, looking away.

"What? What do you need?"

"Nothing. Forgive me."

Karen frowned, troubled. "Do you need something? Please, Splinter, you can ask me."

"No," he responded a little too quickly. "I am fine, thank you."

Karen studied his face. _He's rather handsome,_ she thought. _In a furry, Yoda 'May-the-Force-go-with-you' sort of way._ _What could he want that he doesn't want to ask for? _

"Do you…" she hesitated, uncertain. "Do you want me to stay with you for a little while? Until you can get back to sleep?"

A faint growl accompanied his answer. "I do not wish to trouble you…"

"It's no trouble. I can't risk you running a fever, now can I?" she said briskly, brushing aside his objection. "I'll just sit here for a while. To monitor your condition."

The Rat flashed her a grateful smile. "As you wish, Miss Karen-san."

* * *

**A/N #2: Yes, I know, Karen sounded a little Splinter-esque in that chapter. I didn't want to make her too "Mary Sue", having her comfort Splinter, but in this case I felt like he needed some support from a fellow adult. It's not easy being a single Dad and having to hide your fears and uncertainties all the time. **

**Don't worry, the Rat will be back to his normal calm, collected self very soon. Cut him some slack, he's had a pretty rough time. I happen to know he does suffer from occasional nightmares, as he did in the Ninja Tribunal series. :( A cat attack would be enough to give Chuck Norris himself nightmares, and remember, Splinter is an ultra-cool Ninja master, but he is also a Rat.**


	15. Chapter 15 Real

**_Chapter 15 ~Real~_**

Sometime after midnight, Karen woke with a start. _Why am I sitting on the floor?_ She wondered, stretching her stiff legs and back. She glanced over at the bed, and had to stifle a squeak. What seemed to be a huge Rat was sleeping peacefully, his head resting on her pillow, and his paw resting under her own hand.

_Splinter._ Her mind supplied the name before her hand could stop trembling. Very gently, she disengaged her hand. The Rat didn't move as she slid away from him, her fingers chilled as the warmth dissipated. She clamored to her feet as quietly as she was able, watching him. He sighed deeply, shifting under the blanket, but didn't wake. Karen smiled.

_Sleep well,_ she told him silently. _Lord knows you need the rest._ She edged back, slipping out of the room, leaving the lamp burning. She paused only to make a quick call on her cell.

"Henry? Karen. I'm not going to be in tomorrow... Oh, yeah, today. In fact, why don't you take me out of the rotation for the time being?… Yes, I know this is short notice, but I… I have a personal emergency here. Something came up unexpectedly. I know, I'll need to reschedule at least two surgeries, I don't know how long I'll be out... Yes, unless you can take them… there's that ganglion cyst removal, the other one's a wrist, carpal tunnel, but it's mild… Should be a really simple... You can? That's great. Yes, I'll call you. Thanks, Henry."

The task finished, she made her way back to the couch, sinking into its cushions and losing herself to the oblivion of sleep.

When Karen woke again, it was to the smell of something savory cooking. She blinked, stretching, wincing as her shoulder _cracked_.

Padding into the kitchen, Karen stared. Leonardo was carrying a stack of dishes toward the table, balancing them carefully on his uninjured hand. Splinter was pouring boiling water from her tea-pot.

"You two should be resting," she scolded.

Leonardo's dark eyes flickered briefly toward the woman. He continued toward the table without bothering to comment.

"Mornin' Karen," said Michelangelo, glancing over his shoulder at her with a grin. He stood at the counter, cooking pancakes on her electric griddle.

"I trust you slept well, Miss Karen-san?" Splinter held a cup out to Karen.

"Fine, thank you. How are you this morning?" she asked, accepting the cup. She sniffed cautiously, and her eyebrows rose.

"I hope you do not mind, Miss Karen-san. Luke-kun showed me where the tea is kept."

"Not at all Splinter. Please, make yourself at home," said Karen. "But please, just call me Karen."

The Rat bowed his head and Karen had no doubt he would go right on calling her 'Miss Karen-san'. She took a sip to hide her grin. He met her eyes and she caught a twinkle in his gaze.

_He's really something else_, she thought. _I suppose "Miss Karen-san" is an improvement on "Miss Vincent-san". There's a lot more to him than meets the eye. What a difference from the troubled soul I talked to last night. He seems more confident this morning, more… settled._

Michelangelo was carefully pouring pancake batter into neat circles.

"You want pancakes, Karen?" he asked.

Karen smiled. "Thanks, Mike. I'll get the syrup out."

"Sensei prefers honey," said Leo quietly.

Karen nodded, fetching the sweetener from the cupboard. "Any other special requests?" she asked, glancing at Leonardo.

He shook his head but Karen saw a slight grin quirk his features.

_He's so much more relaxed now that they've found their father,_ she thought. She set the honey on the table along with the syrup and butter.

"Ya cookin', Mike?"

Karen looked up, startled, as Raphael padded silently into the room. Without his mask he looked younger. Donatello was close behind him, yawning and stretching.

"Is there coffee?" he mumbled, sounding more than half asleep.

Karen laughed. "I'll make some Don," she said.

"Sit down, Genius, 'fore you fall down." Raphael pushed his brother roughly into a chair. Don flopped down without resistance and Karen chuckled. She'd watched Luke and his friends interact often enough to detect the affection between the brothers.

Soon Leonardo had the table laid, and Michelangelo was dishing out pancakes. Splinter nodded his thanks to his youngest son. Leonardo thanked him politely, and Raphael grunted. Donatello stared bleary-eyed at the plate as if it had appeared before him by magic, before looking up and mumbling his thank-you.

"Hey, where's Luke?" asked Michelangelo. "He's gonna miss out on this awesome pancakey-goodness."

"I imagine he's still sleeping," said Karen. "I'll go get him."

She went to Luke's room, but his bed was empty, the blankets rumpled. "Luke?" she called, but there was no answer. Karen frowned. It wasn't like Luke to be up this early.

_I suppose he might've gone out to feed the horses,_ she mused. _But it doesn't seem likely. He knows I'll do it after breakfast._

She went to her own room and pulled on her boots and a parka.

"Where ya goin', Karen?" asked Raphael from the doorway.

Karen turned, startled, dropping her gloves. "Don't _do_ that," she snapped. The Turtle had the good grace to look slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry. Didn't mean ta scare ya. What's up?"

"Luke's not in his room," she said. "I'm going to see if he's in the barn."

"Luke's missin'?" Raphael's eyes narrowed. "I'll go wit' ya."

"I'm sure I can find him Raphael. No need to worry," said Karen firmly. Raphael moved aside to let her pass, but he was frowning.

Karen jogged to the barn. "Luke?" she called.

Blaze whickered from his stall, putting his nose over the door and blowing a loud snort. Karen patted the horse's nose absently, noticing the hay net hung empty. Luke hadn't come out to feed the horses.

"Sorry, big guy," she said, rubbing Blaze. "I'll be back to feed you in a little bit."

The horse neighed his protest as Karen left the barn, sliding the door carefully closed behind her. Karen ignored him, hurrying back toward the house.

"Luke?" she called again, her voice echoing through the yard.

"Over here, Mom."

Karen whirled, racing toward the house.

"I got 'im Karen, he's over here!" Raphael's gruff voice startled Karen, making her speed up.

"What are you doing?" she shouted as she rounded the corner.

The Turtle was kneeling next to the large snowbank that had drifted against the side of the house. He had hold of Luke's arm. The boy was struggling to sit up. Karen rushed forward, ready to defend her son.

"Hey, keep yer shirt on," growled the Turtle, letting Luke go and taking a step back. "He's ok. He jus' fell off da roof, dat's all."

"He _what?"_ Karen glared at the mutant, taking Luke's other arm. "Luke, what on earth were you doing on the _roof?_"

"Nothing," muttered Luke. "Mom, I'm fine, really."

Raph held out his hand. After an instant's hesitation, Luke took it, grasping the thick wrist. He pulled himself up with Raphael's help.

"Thanks."

"Hey, no problem, Kid. I'm jus' sorry I didn't catch ya. How'd ya fall offa da roof, anyway?"

"I'm ok. The snow-bank caught me," Luke said with a rueful grin.

"Luke…" Karen's heart felt as if it'd beat its way out of her chest.

"Mom, I'm ok. Really. I was just… I thought I'd have a look at the phone wires. I thought maybe I could hook them back up."

He met his mother's incredulous look and shook his head.

"I know. It wasn't a very smart thing to do," Luke said ruefully. He glanced at the Turtle. "Hey, Raphael, how come you're out here anyway?"

"I was lookin' fer you, Kid," said Raphael, glancing uneasily at Karen. "Ya disappeared, an' yer Ma was worried."

_He was trying to help_, thought Karen. "Well we should all get back inside," she said, as calmly as she could. "Raphael, you're going to catch pneumonia out here."

The Turtle glanced at her, startled, and grinned. "Nah," he scoffed. "We nevah get sick."

"Well there was that one time Don got pneumonia…" Luke trailed off as Raphael's amber eyes narrowed.

"How'd ya know about dat?"

"Well, I… ummm…" Luke was blushing. "It was in a fic. A story…"

"One o' dem movies?" Raphael's hands were clenched on the hilt of his sai.

"No… it was on Fan-Writers, a website… wait, you mean those stories come _true_?"

Karen watched as Luke's face went from a blush to pasty white, horror stretching his eyes wide.

"I… I dunno, Kid," muttered Raphael. Karen noticed he was quite pale as well. He passed a hand over his face and shivered.

"Come on, let's get inside," she said firmly, taking Raphael by the arm. He barely glanced at her, but he allowed her to lead him toward the front porch as if he were in a trance.

"Mom… it can't be… I mean, if all those stories came true, they'd be… like married by now and stuff. And in some of the stories, someone dies. Splinter's died loads of times. And Leo too…" Luke stopped suddenly. He turned away and vomited violently into the snow.

Karen let go of Raphael to lay a hand on Luke's back as he sank to his knees. He shivered, his shoulders hunching.

_He might have a concussion. _

"Luke…"

"I… I'm ok now," he whispered, getting slowly to his feet. He wouldn't meet his mother's eyes.

"Luke, it's going to be ok," she said softly. "Come on." Raphael was watching them, but his gaze was distant as if he couldn't really see them.

"Donny… was real sick last winter," he said slowly. His voice was shaky, uncertain. "We… we nearly lost 'im. Yer… yer tellin' me it was… it was jus' a _story_?"

Karen shook her head firmly, taking the teenager by the hand. She felt tremors running through him.

"No. No, Raphael. Obviously you and your family are more than just a story. You're _here._ I can feel your hand in mine. I can hear and see you. You're not an actor wearing a costume for some movie, you're _real._ The story Luke's talking about must be a coincidence."

"But… dem movies… dat was _us._" Raphael shook his head, as if to clear it.

"Raphael," said Karen gently, "I know this is a lot to take in. It's got to be a shock. I… I can't get my head around it myself. I mean, imagine what it's like for _us_ to meet _you_. To find out you're real…"

Raphael shook his head slowly. "I… I ain't so sure any more." He pulled his hand out of Karen's grasp. "I… I need ta talk ta Sensei."

Karen watched sadly as Raphael disappeared into the house. She turned, hearing a muffled sob beside her.

"Luke, you ok?"

"No. I'm not ok, Mom," said Luke, wiping at his eyes. His movements were jerky with anger. "It's not ok. It's not _fair._ How can they be here? How can this be real? I… I don't understand it. I mean, the guys… they're real people like us… it's not fair, Mom. It's not fair that a stupid _story_ can hurt them."

"Luke, I honestly don't think the story you read could have come true in their universe. Like you said, if it could, they'd be married or have suffered losses."

"But Raphael said Donatello was sick."

"Luke, it was probably a coincidence," Karen said patiently. "Listen, let's not get ahead of ourselves, ok? We can check out this website, and see if it's something the boys need to worry about…"

"Mom," Luke stopped short. "There are _hundreds_ of fan-sites."

Karen shook her head.

_This is all too much. How can we shut down hundreds of sites? And what if the work doesn't have to be put up on a site? What if just _writing_ it can affect them? We could never convince thousands of writers to simply not write stories. And what would happen if people stopped writing them? Would they simply… cease to exist?_


	16. Chapter 16 Denial

**A/N: Yamete means "stop it!"**

**

* * *

_Chapter 16 ~Denial~_**

Karen followed Luke back into the house, tensing as she heard raised voices from the kitchen.

"Raphael, calm yourself!"

_Crash!_

Karen raced toward the kitchen in time to see Leonardo leap up from the floor, rushing at his brother, rage written plain on his face. She hurried forward, intending to get between the teenagers.

"Leonardo! Raphael! _Yamete!_ Enough!" The Rat's voice snapped like the crack of a whip. Leonardo halted so suddenly Karen was certain his momentum would carry him into his brother after all, but he managed to shift his balance and avoid a collision.

_What was I thinking? If I'd tried to break that up, I probably would've gotten pulverized,_ thought Karen.

The two turned to face Splinter and made small, formal bows.

"Sorry Sensei."

"Yeah, sorry."

Splinter glared at them, his whiskers quivering. "Raphael. _Calmly_, explain yourself."

"Before Leo started _dissin'_ me, I was explainin'…"

"You're _delusional,_" hissed Leonardo, earning himself a double glare from his father and brother. His mouth snapped shut.

"I was _explainin'_, Sensei, dat dis world has whole _websites_ about us. Wit' stories…" Raphael stopped, swallowing hard. "Luke… Luke says there's a story about how Donny was sick last year. Sensei, what if… what if our whole _lives_ are nothin' but a story somebody made up? What if… if these writers can jus'… I don't know, jus'… write us dyin'? Or gettin' hurt? Sensei… what if we're jus'… jus' characters in somebody's head? What if… what if we don't really _exist?_" Raphael made a frustrated gesture with his hands.

"Calm yourself, my son." Splinter's voice was calm, but Karen saw his brow furrow. "The questions you raise are difficult ones."

"You've always told us our lives are directed by our _choices,_" said Donatello slowly. "Sensei, it can't be true. This is just some weird alternate dimension. We can't be just fictional characters. I mean, we're _here, _right?"

Karen smiled, hearing Don unknowingly repeat the words she'd spoken only a few minutes before.

"I believe you are correct, Donatello," said Splinter, turning to the purple-banded Turtle. "It seems the question of our existence is answered by our very presence. This world may be an alternate dimension of sorts. We need not concern ourselves with this at the moment. We must work to discover how we came to this dimension, and how we will return home once more."

"But Sensei…" Raphael was staring at his father, almost pleading.

Karen felt something twist in her heart. He looked so… lost. Without thinking she crossed the room and pulled the startled Turtle into a tight hug.

"Raphael, it's going to be ok," she said.

"Get offa me," he growled.

Karen stepped back, her face flushing with embarrassment and annoyance. She turned away, and walked kitchen, ignoring the shocked looks from the others.

"Raphael! Ten flips, now!" snapped Splinter behind her.

Karen made her way to the living room. Vaguely she was aware of Raphael disappearing out the front door. Through the window Karen saw him step outside. He stood with his hands raised in front of him, and then did a back flip. Karen couldn't help staring for a moment before Splinter cleared his throat, startling her.

"I apologize for my son's rudeness, Miss Karen-san," he intoned gravely.

Karen tore her eyes away from the sight of Raphael executing another perfect back flip.

"I… Oh that's all right, Splinter," she managed finally. "I probably embarrassed him."

Splinter ducked his head in acknowledgment, giving her a knowing smile. "You wished to offer comfort."

"I… Luke had that same look, when he was small and his father would leave," she said softly. "Splinter… what if Raphael's right?"

The Rat looked at her for a long moment before sighing.

"I do not know what to think," he replied slowly. "If what Raphael fears is true… yet nothing has changed but our knowledge." The last he said half to himself, as if he were turning it over in his mind.

"It can't be, Splinter. You can't be influenced by these stories. Luke's told me about some of them. People write all kinds of weird things happening. Alien abductions, alternate dimensions, other mutants showing up…"

Splinter nodded slowly, his frown deepening. "Miss Karen-san, our lives are often… chaotic."

"You're saying those things have happened?" Karen stared as the Rat nodded, her reality taking yet another tilt.

_And yet you're standing here talking to a four-foot tall Rat,_ she told herself. _Maybe aliens and alternate dimensions aren't so far-fetched after all._

"Ok," she said aloud. "So what next, Splinter? I mean, you and your family are welcome to stay here as long as you need to, but what will you do?"

Splinter's shoulders slumped. "I do not know, Miss Karen-san." For the first time, he looked defeated.

_The poor guy,_ thought Karen, not for the first time. _He's carrying such a huge burden for his boys, and now this._

"Well, first of all, don't worry. You're welcome here, and Luke and I will guard your secret with our lives. No one will know you're here."

"Karen Vincent-san," said Splinter gravely. "What of the woman whose house I entered? Mrs. Willard-san? Will she not complain to the police?"

"Don't worry about Martha," said Karen with a smile. "She likes Raphael. And I don't think she got a good look at you. She seemed to believe the story I told her about the stray dog." Karen felt a blush creep up her cheeks. "It wasn't a very good story, but it was the best I could come up with at the time."

Splinter chuckled.

"Apparently it will have to do. I thank you for your hospitality," he said. "Without your help, my sons and I might never have found one another."

"I think you would have. Your family seems quite resourceful," said Karen.

The Rat smiled. "We have had to learn to survive."

Karen hesitated. "Splinter, my ex-husband is an animator. I… I don't know, exactly, how he could help, but… Well John knows about things like the fan sites and how the movies came to be made. If you like I could call him."

Splinter shook his head decisively. "The fewer people who are aware of our presence, the less danger of our being discovered by someone who might mean us harm," he said. "I thank you, Karen-san, but I think it best if we allow Donatello to investigate the matter for now."

"Donatello?"

The Rat nodded. "My son has always had a talent for discovering information through computers and other means. He is very technologically gifted."

"Well, if he wants to get on the internet he'll need to re-attach the phone wires," said Karen. "We don't have a cable connection out here."

"Your telephone service is damaged?" Splinter's eyebrows rose.

"Don disconnected it to prevent us calling in the authorities."

The Rat bowed deeply. Karen had to resist the instinctive urge to return the bow.

"_Gomen nasi, _Miss Karen Vincent-san. I am very sorry," said Splinter gravely. "My son will repair the damage immediately. _Donatello!_"

"Oh, that's all right Splinter. I mean, I'd like the phone hooked back up, but please don't be angry with him," said Karen quickly. "They were unsure of us, worried…"

She trailed off as Donatello hurried into the room. The teenager seemed to wilt under his father's glare.

"Yes, Sensei?" asked Don a bit timidly.

"Donatello, is it true that you disconnected Miss Karen-san's telephone?"

The Turtle shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Karen.

"Umm well, yes, Sensei."

"You will reconnect it immediately."

"_Hai,_ Sensei. Sorry Karen."

Karen shook her head. "Don, it's ok," she reassured the sheepish Turtle. "Really. I know you guys were just worried."

Donatello made a short bow and disappeared out of the room at speed.

"Put on a coat!" Karen called after him. "Honestly if those boys don't put something on when they go out they'll _all_ have pneumonia…"

Splinter sighed. "Kids," he muttered.

Karen turned to him with a startled laugh. "_Amen_."

"Sensei! Someone's here." Leonardo came into the room so quietly Karen wasn't aware of his presence until he spoke.

"Upstairs, all of you. _Now_." Splinter hissed. His son nodded and disappeared out of the room.

"You too, Splinter," said Karen, recovering quickly. "Whoever it is, I'll get rid of them. But Donatello's outside!" She felt a chill. "What if he's spotted?"

"Donatello will conceal himself," replied Splinter.

Karen nodded, swallowing hard. His hard gaze met hers for an instant before he hurried from the room. She could hear a muttered conversation in the hall before the voices faded entirely. The loud bang at the door crashed through silence.

"I'm _coming,_" shouted Karen, hurrying to open the door.

Her ex-husband stood on the porch, his fist raised to pound on the door again.

"_John?_"


	17. Chapter 17 Illness

**_Chapter 17 ~Illness~_**

"Karen, thank _goodness._ Are you all right?"

Karen's ex-husband moved through the door, wrapping her up in a hug. His eyes darted about, taking in the room behind her.

Karen pushed free of his embrace. "What are you _doing _here?"

"I've been trying to call you. The phone just rings and rings," he said, but he still wasn't looking at her. "Are you all right? Where's Luke?"

"I'm right here, Dad." Luke strode into the room. Karen turned to her son. He gave her a weak smile.

"Thank goodness." John's voice sounded strained, as if he were trying to hide his relief.

"John, what's wrong?" Karen looked at her ex-husband, suspicious. He was too keyed up, too edgy.

_It's not like him to worry, especially over something as trivial as the phone being out_, thought Karen.

"Nothing," replied John, a little too quickly. He ran his hand through his thick brown hair.

_He needs another trim,_ thought Karen, stifling a sigh. _He's worse than Luke. Is he ever going to grow up?_

"I just… I heard there were some… some burglaries in the area," John said.

Karen shook her head. "John, we're fine," she said firmly. Any other time she might've invited him to stay for supper, but she couldn't risk it with their unexpected guests.

"Well, maybe I should have a look around," said John. "Just, you know, to be sure. I'll have a look at the telephone connection…"

"No!" Luke and Karen chorused together.

It was John's turn to stare at them both as if they'd lost their minds.

"No, John it's fine," said Karen quickly. "I don't need you to do that."

"Really Dad. I… Mom, didn't you call a repair guy already? On your cell?" Luke said. His voice shook slightly with nerves.

"Yes." Karen nodded decisively. "It'll be back on soon I'm sure," she added, trying to distract John from his son's nervous demeanor.

"…Ok then." John's gaze swept the room once more, as if he were searching for anything out of place. "Are you sure you're ok, Karen? You haven't… you know… seen anything unusual?"

"No, it's been very quiet," said Karen firmly.

"Well…" John hesitated. "I… I thought we might… ummm… catch a movie this weekend, what do you say, Luke?"

"Uh…" Luke glanced at his mother. "Sounds… sounds great, Dad, but I might have… some friends over this weekend. I'll… let you know, ok?"

"Oh, ok. Sure, Son." For the first time John looked directly at Luke. Karen's heart twisted at the sad, haunted look that flashed through his eyes.

_Well, you could've had all the time in the world for him, John_, she thought, _If you would have just… acted like a man instead of a ten-year-old._

"Yeah. Ok, well, we've gotta… umm, feed the horses," said Luke, forcing cheer into his voice. "I'll… see you later, ok Dad?"

"Sure, ok Son. Tell you what, how about I walk out and help you with the horses, Luke? If you don't mind, Karen?" He glanced hopefully at his ex-wife.

Karen forced a smile. "I… guess that would be ok," she conceded.

_Sorry, Splinter, but I can't deny Luke just a little time with his dad. It's not like he gets much._

"Awesome," said Luke easily. "Let me get my coat."

Karen watched as the pair headed out the door. Luke was getting nearly as tall as John. Their dark heads looked so similar from behind it was hard to tell them apart, except that Luke's shoulders were slightly narrower than his father's and his bright blue parka clashed with John's more subtle dark red coat.

The woman frowned. _Why are John's shoes muddy?_ she thought. She dismissed the matter with a shrug. _Now to get Don back inside before John spots him on the roof._ She hurried to the back door. Slipping around the side of the house, she looked around for the ladder she assumed Don would've fetched from the barn, but there was nothing to be seen.

"Donny?" she called softly. "Donatello?"

"Hang on, I'll be right down."

_Thump._

Karen whirled to face the purple-banded turtle. He got up from the ground, brushing snow from his sleeves.

"Sorry," he murmured, glancing around nervously. "I didn't mean to startle you. Is he gone?"

"No, he's just gone down to the barn with Luke, to feed the horses. Are you ok? How'd you get up there? How'd you get _down_?"

"Umm well I climbed up the chimney," said Donatello. "And I just… jumped down."

"You _jumped?_" Karen stared, incredulous. "But that's got to be a ten foot drop."

Donatello smirked. "It's not so far for a ninja, Karen."

She shook her head. "Well let's get you inside," she said, resisting the urge to scold him for taking a foolish risk. She had the feeling, once again, that what would be dangerous and foolhardy for an ordinary teenager was no big deal to these boys.

"I'm a little cold," admitted Don, shivering. "I didn't plan on being out here so long."

Instinctively, Karen reached for his hand. His fingers were icy. "Donatello! You're freezing! Get your shell inside this _instant._"

"Sorry, Karen," mumbled Don, making his way toward the house. His movements were sluggish, slow. "I guess I should've worn a heavier coat."

His words were beginning to slur. "You're cold blooded, aren't you?" Karen peered into his face, worried.

"Umm… sort of."

The Turtle swayed. Karen wrapped a firm arm around his waist, half-dragging him toward the stairs. She heard John and Luke's voices carrying clearly across the yard.

"That Blaze sure is looking good, Son."

"He's the best, Dad. I might be able to ride him to your place come spring, if I can talk Mom into it…"

"That would be great, Luke."

_Oh, John, do you have to encourage him? _thought Karen. She swore under her breath, tugging at Don's arm. "Come on," she whispered fiercely.

Donatello stumbled, his movements awkward and clumsy. Karen hauled him almost bodily up the stairs, opening the door and pushing him inside. The warmer air of the laundry room seemed to revive Don a little. He stood a bit straighter, taking some of his weight back from the woman.

"Will you be ok for a minute, Don?" whispered Karen. "If I don't say goodbye to John he'll get suspicious."

"Yeah, 'm fine," Donatello murmured. He leaned back against the dryer.

"Ok just stay here. I'll be right back," said Karen. She gave him one last worried glance before hurrying out to the living room.

Just in time. The front door swung open and Luke came inside, followed closely by his father. Luke was grinning broadly.

"Mom, Dad says I can come by the plant, and see the lab where he's been working," he said excitedly.

"Wow that's great, Luke," said Karen, forcing a smile. John's new job did seem promising. It wasn't his dream-job, she knew, Santino Labs represented a regular income, something he'd lacked throughout most of their twelve-year marriage.

"Yes, we've made some real advances in astro-physics…" John's face lit up with excitement, and Karen felt her breath catch in her chest.

_I remember when he looked at _me_ like that…_ She stifled the thought. _It was a long time ago. We're divorced. And I've got a half-frozen mutant Turtle in my laundry room._

"I'm sure Luke will be fascinated," she said firmly, stepping forward and opening the door. "But I've got some housework to finish, John…"

_Crash!_

All three turned, startled.

"What on earth was _that?_" asked John, starting into the living room.

"Oh! Well I, um… left a basket of laundry on the dryer," said Karen, thinking fast. "The washer is running. It must've vibrated the basket over. I'll go take care of it. Goodbye, John. See you later, ok?"

John hesitated and Karen cursed silently. _I'm the queen of lame excuses,_ she thought. To her immense relief, John turned toward the door.

"All right Karen, I'll see you next week. Give me a call, ok? Your cell phone is still working isn't it?"

"Of course."

"Ok. It was stupid of me not to think of that. Well, as long as you two are all right. Bye, Luke. Call me about this weekend, ok Buddy."

"You got it, Dad."

With one last little wave, John was gone.

"_Finally,_" Karen breathed. She turned and rushed toward the laundry room, with Luke close behind her. "Donatello? Are you all right?" Karen rushed into the room, but the purple-banded turtle was standing where she'd left him. If anything he looked better, less shaky and more focused.

"What's going on, Karen?"

"I… I thought you fell. I heard a crash…" Karen stared. "Oh no. It must've come from upstairs."

"Upstairs?" Donatello looked confused for an instant before his eyes widened.

"It's ok. Maybe they just knocked something over," said Karen quickly. "I'll go up and check on them, and let them know John's gone. I'm sure everything's fine. Luke, why don't you get Don something hot to drink?"

"Got it Mom."

Karen jogged toward the stairs, a cold lump settling in the pit of her stomach. _The Turtles and Splinter are ninja,_ she thought._ What are the chances they knocked something over? _ She took the stairs two at a time.

"Splinter? Leonardo? Mikey? Raphael?"

"In here, Karen," called Michelangelo. "Come quick! Leo's sick 'r somethin'!"

Karen sprinted down the hall, rushing into the small extra room they used for storage. _If we cleaned it out, this room would be perfect for Splinter. _The thought flitted through her mind even as she flew into the room, her breath catching in her throat.

Leonardo lay sprawled on his back, Raphael kneeling on one side, Splinter on the other. Splinter's hands cradled Leo's face. The Rat leaned close, calling to Leonardo in Japanese.

"What happened?" cried Karen. She fell to her knees, looking Leonardo over, searching for any sign of what could've caused his sudden illness. She noticed he was pale and sweating. Grabbing his wrist in her hand, she shoved the leather band aside to feel for a pulse. His heartbeat was rapid and weak, his hand cold and lifeless in hers.

"What's wrong wit' 'im, Sensei?" asked Raphael.

"I fear your brother is very ill," answered Splinter. "But I do not know the cause of this sickness."

"It's as if he's gotten an infection," said Karen. She leaned forward, laying her hand on Leonardo's head. He felt too warm, burning under her fingers. "He's running a fever. Could this be simple exhaustion?"

"But he's been sleepin'," said Raph. Desperation tinged his voice.

"First things first," said Karen firmly. "Let's get him downstairs and into a bed. We've got to get his temperature down."

"I got 'im," said Raphael. He scooped Leonardo up, cradling him against his plastron.

"Sensei, is Leo… is he gonna be ok?" asked Michelangelo.

Splinter turned to his youngest son. He met Karen's gaze for a moment before replying.

"I do not know, my son."


	18. Chapter 18 Leonardo

**A/N: Just a shout-out from Hershey Pennsylvania... **

**We are still at camp. I'm just sneaking in through the campsite's free wifi to say hello. **

**I rode a roller-coaster! *is quite proud of self* lol I survived our trip through Hershey Park, one of the nicest amusement parks in America.  
**

**Danni will be posting through Monday, when I get home again. Thankies Danni!**

**Meanwhile, I will be eating s'mores, swimming at every opportunity, and baking. It was 98 degrees here yesterday. (That works out to about 40 degrees for you who go by the Celcius scale). However you look at it, it's stinking hot. And, apparently, so is Leo...**

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* * *

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**_Chapter 18 ~Leonardo~_**

It didn't take long to get Leonardo settled into a bed. He didn't wake up, though he groaned softly when Raphael laid him down.

"Yer ok, Bro," muttered Raph, laying a hand on his brother's forehead.

Michelangelo had scurried down the stairs ahead of them to alert Donatello. The purple-banded Turtle rushed into the room, kneeling beside his brother's bed. Karen noticed that his color was slightly better, but he was still a bit pale and shaky. Looking around, she frowned. Michelangelo's aqua-green skin had lost a bit of its color as well, and beads of sweat were glistening on the youngster's forehead. Only Raphael still retained his healthy, dark-green hue.

Seeing that Donatello had more than enough assistance, Karen quietly left the room to seek out Luke. She checked the kitchen, then his room, but he was no where to be found. She headed back toward the guest bedroom, pausing when she heard a distinctive sound from the bathroom.

"Luke? Are you ok?" she called softly.

There was the sound of flushing, then water running. "Just a minute," he answered, his voice a bit hoarse. When Luke came out of the bathroom, his face was pale.

"Are you alright?" asked Karen, touching his forehead. He was sweating, his skin slick and cool under her fingers.

"Sorry, Mom. Guess I'm coming down with something."

"You're burning up." Karen swore softly. "I thought it was trauma, when you threw up before. How long have you been sick?"

"Geez, Mom it's just a stomach bug. I'm ok," said Luke, shrugging. "Really."

"Luke, Leonardo collapsed. He's sick too," said Karen.

"Oh, no. What if… what if he's really sick, Mom? Can you do anything for him?"

Karen shrugged helplessly. "I… don't know, Luke. I mean, I don't know that much about their physiology. I don't know what to do… I've never had a sick _turtle_ on my hands, let alone a mutated, half-human one." She met her son's gaze. "I'll do everything I can," she promised. "Don't worry. Now, straight to bed with you."

"But I want to see Leo…"

"Luke, he can't afford to be exposed to any more germs right now. None of them can. I suspect the others are coming down with it, too. Donatello's thrown up twice since they've been here."

_I thought he just had a weak stomach, but now I'm not so sure... _

"You go get some rest. I'll deal with the others."

"All right Mom. But you'll come get me if anything changes, right?"

"Of course."

Karen gave Luke a little nudge toward his room, but he turned suddenly, dashing back into the bathroom. The door slammed shut, and Karen shook her head.

_Poor kid. It's just the flu. It's got to be. He can't get sick again, he just can't. _

She headed back down the hall, detouring to the kitchen for a bucket before heading for the guest room where Leonardo lay on the bed. As she came through the door, Leonardo was moving restlessly.

"I'm _fine._"

She could hear the irritation in his voice, and smiled. He sounded so much like Luke.

"Honestly, Donny, I feel fine…"

He coughed, and Karen rushed forward, just in time to hold the small plastic bucket she'd fetched from the kitchen for him to be sick in.

"Oh, Leo…" Donatello looked a bit greener than normal.

Raphael turned away. Michelangelo made a gagging noise. "Gross, Leonardo," he muttered.

"Luke's sick, too," said Karen. She laid her hand on Leonardo's shoulder. "I think this is just a stomach bug." She glanced at Don. "Have you guys ever had the stomach flu before?"

Donatello looked startled. "The… stomach flu?" He glanced at Leonardo, who was trying to get to his feet.

"Need… bathroom," Leo managed.

"There's another bathroom just around the corner," Karen told him. _I just hope Luke isn't still in it._

"Leo, let me help you," said Don, coming forward quickly and wrapping an arm around his brother's shell. Leonardo started to shake his head in protest, but swayed slightly, grunting. He moved toward the door with some urgency, Don planted firmly at his side.

"Ugh," grumbled Michelangelo. He sank down in a chair in the corner, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. "Can't we open a window?" he muttered. "It smells like breakfast gone bad in here now."

"Can it, Mike," said Raphael rudely, but he moved to open the window a few inches. Michelangelo leaned back in the chair, tilting his head back and taking a slow, deep breath.

"Mike, do you feel sick at all?" asked Karen.

"A… a little, Dudette. I just need some air." Mikey got shakily to his feet, but didn't make it to the door. He doubled over, retching.

"Mikey!" Raphael growled in irritation.

"S… sorry, Dudette," managed Mike, straightening and wiping his mouth. "Looks like whatever Leo an' Luke got, I got too."

"Lie down, Michelangelo," Splinter took his son by the arm. "Now."

"Not in here, Sensei," groaned Mikey. "It smells. It's makin' me sick."

"You can put him back in Luke's room," said Karen. "The air mattress is already set up in there, and Luke can't get any sicker."

"Thank you, Miss Karen Vincent-san," said Splinter gravely. "I will clean this up in a moment."

"Don't worry about it, Splinter," answered Karen briskly. "Get Mike taken care of. I'll see how Leonardo and Donatello are doing."

"I gotta get some air," said Raphael, edging past Karen. "I'm… really sorry for all this, Mrs. Vincent."

Karen looked at Raphael, startled at the sincere tone. It was the first time he'd spoken directly to her without sounding gruff or sarcastic.

"It's ok, Raphael," she said gently. She watched with a small smile as he disappeared out into the hall, toward the back door.

_Typical male,_ she thought._ Can't handle anyone being ill. Like John… Well, that's water under the bridge, and Luke's ok now._

_I wonder if Raphael's a huge baby when he's sick? He seems more the type to deny he's ill at all, a tough guy. Hopefully he won't come down with it, too._

Picking up the bucket, she went to the bathroom across from her bedroom to rinse it in boiling water. She detoured to the kitchen to grab a mop and bucket before heading back to the guest room. The smell had mostly dissipated, thanks to the open window. Karen worked quickly, mopping the mess from the hardwood. She picked up the small throw-rug.

_That'll have to go in to the wash,_ she thought, noticing the faint spatter that had reached it. _Poor Mikey. I hope he's feeling better._

She left the room with the cleaning supplies, dropping them off in the laundry room before washing her hands and heading back to check on her guests. A quick stop in Luke's room found him and Michelangelo dozing. Splinter knelt beside his son's bed, sitting as still as a statue. Karen had the impression he could hold the pose for hours.

"How is he?" she asked softly.

"They are both resting, Miss Karen-san," answered Splinter quietly. Donatello has returned Leonardo to the guest room. He is resting as well." The faintest of frowns creased Splinter's brow. "I fear Raphael has gone off on his own," he said.

Karen nodded, acknowledging the unspoken request. "I'll find him," she reassured Splinter. "He won't have gone far, I'm sure. He seems very protective of his brothers."

"He is. Thank you, Miss Karen-san," said Splinter. He leaned over to brush a hand over Michelangelo's forehead. Mike shivered under the blankets, curling closer to his father. Karen smiled. She couldn't help but see a much-younger Luke, curled on a hospital bed.

_Only, his father wasn't there when Luke was ill. It was just me,_ she thought a shade bitterly. _John let him down. Let us both down. Splinter is a different kind of father. He's there for his sons, taking care of them. It's just too bad John wasn't able to be there for Luke._

She left Splinter to watch over the boys and headed down the hall to stick her head in the guest room. Leonardo was settled once more on the bed. His eyes were closed and his breathing even. Karen pulled the door not-quite-closed behind her, not wanting to disturb him. She headed toward the front door, intending to search out Raphael, when Donatello appeared from the guest bathroom, looking a little pale.

"Don? Are you sick, too?" she asked, concerned.

He shook his head. "No. Just cleaning up a little," he answered with a grimace.

"Ugh, sorry," said Karen with a sympathetic smile. "Well, with Luke's symptoms, I think we can be fairly certain this is just a bug. It should pass in a day or so. Hopefully the rest of you won't take ill as well."

"To be honest, Karen, I'm not feeling that great myself," muttered Donatello.

"You did throw up yesterday," said Karen slowly. "Oh Don… maybe you'd better go and lie down, too. Use my room. It's close to the other bathroom."

"Oh, I couldn't…"

"Don, go. Lie down. I don't need you making yourself worse," said Karen firmly. "I'm going out to check on Raphael. And, come to think of it, I'm going to run to the store and stock up on ginger ale and crackers. Anything else you can think of you guys might need?"

Donatello shook his head. "No, Karen, thanks," he said. He turned to go, but hesitated. "Umm… Sensei likes green tea," he said softly. "If you wouldn't mind…"

"Not at all," said Karen with a smile. "Don, really. Is there anything else I can pick up? I might as well grab a few groceries."

"Well, Leo'll eat fish and rice when he's sick and can't keep anything else down," said Don shyly. "And Mikey… well, he'll eat any kind of junk food, but probably some broth would be better for his stomach. Raphael likes anything spicy."

"How about you, Don?" asked Karen with a smile.

"Oh, I don't need anything as long as you've got plenty of coffee on hand," he replied, a faint grin crossing his features.

"Got it. Coffee, spicy, broth, fish, rice, and tea." Karen nodded.

"Thanks, Karen," said Don. Karen just smiled, taking his elbow and steering him gently toward her room. "Go. Lie down. There are fresh blankets in the closet there," she pointed. "If anyone needs them. I'll check on Raphael and be back soon, ok?"

"Ok."

Donatello disappeared into her bedroom and Karen headed out the door.


	19. Chapter 19 Explorer

**_Chapter 19 –Explorer-_**

Karen drove toward home, humming along to a song on the radio.

_You can bury me… on Deadwood Mountain… with my brother Wild Bill, and sister Ca-lam-ity Ja-ane… Don't bring me no flowers… just a six-gun smokin'… Put me eight foot do-own when you bury me…_

She'd left Raphael pacing restlessly around the living room. He'd only growled his assent when Karen told him about her errand, only asked if she'd pick up a bag of Doritos. Karen smiled at the memory. For a moment, he was just a surly teenager looking for junk food. The worry had greatly abated in his eyes, now that she was fairly certain the illness that had overtaken his brothers and Luke was relatively minor.

Karen was barely two miles from her home when she saw someone walking along side the road. That in itself wasn't particularly unusual, but as she drew closer it became clear the pedestrian was in distress. She was half-jogging, glancing back over her shoulder as if the devil himself were following.

Reluctantly, Karen slowed the truck, hailing the petite redhead limping along the road. The woman jumped when Karen tapped the horn, turning with wild eyes and an expression of horror, as if she expected to be attacked.

"Vickie. Hey, are you all right?"

"Karen, oh thank goodness! Can you give me a lift? I need to get off the road." Karen's neighbor, Vickie McGellon, rushed to the truck. Karen noticed that the woman's hands were shaking, and she was quite pale.

"Vickie, what's wrong? What's happened?" asked Karen, jumping out of the truck.

"I… I have to get out of here," the woman stammered. "I was walking to Louise's… I didn't know where else to go… I've got to call Pete Darlee… It was awful Karen. A man broke right into my house! Just broke the door off the hinges and walked right in." The woman was shaking, clinging to Karen's arm. "I barely escaped out the back door."

"Get in," Karen commanded, glancing down the road. There was no sign of anyone coming, but she was suddenly grasped with a feeling of dread, as if an icy wind had touched her spine, though the sun was shining brightly for a change.

Vickie scrambled up into the cab, buckling her seat belt with shaking fingers. Her shoulders hunched and she hugged her middle, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I miss Fred." She sniffed. "He showed me how to shoot the .22 when he was alive, but I couldn't… The man was so quick… I had the chain on the door when I answered, but when I wouldn't let him in he shoved it open and came in anyway. Broke the chain and the hinges…"

"Did he hurt you?" asked Karen, glancing at the trembling woman. Vickie and Fred McGellon had lived just down the road for nearly twenty years. Fred had been a traveling salesman until he had a heart attack only a year before Karen's divorce.

Vickie had grieved her husband, but though she was young, she never remarried. She seemed to always be home. She was friendly enough, waving when they passed one another on the road. Karen knew John had talked to her on occasion about their shared interest in writing.

She shook her head. "No… I just… I've never…" She took a deep, gasping breath. "I've never been so scared, Karen. It was surreal. I mean… I've never seen anyone so _tall_. He had to duck to come in the door. And his shoulders… Karen, he's _huge._"

"Can you remember anything else about him?" asked Karen, mentally cataloging the woman's symptoms.

_She's still a bit pale, but not trembling now. She doesn't seem to be sweating… I don't see any visible injuries. Hopefully she's not going into shock. _

"Did he say anything?"

"He… he said we had… friends in common. That's exactly what he said, _friends in common._ Fred and I never had that many friends, with him on the road all the time… certainly no one like him." The woman's brow furrowed in concentration. "He kept asking 'are they here? Where are you hiding them?' I had no idea what he was talking about, but he wouldn't listen. When I wouldn't let him into the house, he just shoved on the door and came right in. I've never been so scared in my life."

Now that she was safe, Vickie was visibly calming. She drew deep, slow breathes and sat up straighter in the seat. She fingered a pendant. Karen glanced over, and realized with a shock that she was wearing a computer memory stick on a chain around her neck.

"What's that?" she asked, in an attempt to distract the woman and help calm her down.

"Oh! Oh, this…" Vickie smiled a bit sheepishly. "It's my books. All of them, on this one little stick."

Karen nodded. "I remember now, John said you're a writer."

The woman let out a small, choked laugh. "You might say that."

"So, can you remember what the guy looked like? Were there any distinctive scars or tattoos?" asked Karen. Vickie fingered the memory stick again, shivering.

"He… had a very distinctive tattoo," she said slowly. "A purple… lizard or something," she reached up, touching her own cheek. "On his face."

"Well Pete shouldn't have any trouble identifying him," said Karen. "Don't worry, Vickie, you're ok, that's the main thing."

"Ye-es," said Vickie slowly. She was frowning. She glanced at Karen again, fidgeting on the seat. "Could you just take me to my sister Louise's? I'll call Pete from there. I'm fine now, Karen, I really am."

"Ok, whatever you want," said Karen easily, turning off the main road toward the Clarke's farm.

They rode in silence for about half a mile, before Vickie turned to glance at Karen again. She seemed to make up her mind about something. "Karen, I think this guy… He… he might have found me through a website I visit. It's called Fanwriters. You… you should know because I know Luke has an account there too. If this guy…" She shivered, her shoulders hunching. "I think… the way he acted, his look… the pony tail, the tattoo… I mean, I know this sounds crazy, but he reminded me of a villain from a television show I write stories about. I think… he's some nut who thinks he _is_ this character. He could have targeted me because I write for the site."

Karen turned, staring. "You… write… fan-fiction?" she asked slowly. Her heart felt as though it was trying to pound its way out of her chest.

Vickie bit her lip, blushing. "Yeah," she admitted a bit sheepishly. "It's silly I know. And… I don't know, I mean, it's not like I give out my real name or address or anything like that. I don't know how the guy could've found me… It's just…" She looked at Karen. "He looks _just_ like a character from this show. It was eerie. It was as if he believed he _was_ this guy, Hun."

Karen swallowed hard and licked her lips. Her mouth felt as if she'd been chewing cotton. "This… show… it wouldn't happen to be about… turtles?"

Vickie's eyes widened. "Yeah. It's the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." She blushed, looking away. "It's silly, I know, for a grown woman to be writing stories about a kids' show," she said quietly. "But they're great characters, really well developed, and a lot of fun to write. Anyway, I thought you should know. In case this guy… I don't know, got my address off the website somehow."

"Thanks for telling me," said Karen, trying to grasp onto some thread of sanity. _Oh man…_

She pulled into the driveway, coming around to open the door for Vickie. She saw the woman safely into her sister's arms, Louise promising to call Pete Darlee as soon as possible. Karen made her excuses and turned to leave. At the steps, she paused for an instant, turning.

"Vickie?"

"Yes?"

"I don't think it's silly, writing about them," she said quietly. "I don't think it's silly at all."

The woman just gave her a nod and a tired smile, before letting her sister lead her into the house.

Karen eased out of the driveway, waiting until she was well out of sight of the house before accelerating to a reckless pace.

_I've got to get home. I've got to get home right _now_._ The thoughts rolled through her head, crashing around like waves breaking on the sand. _Who is this nut? What was he doing at Vickie's? Does it have anything to do with Splinter and the Turtles? It never occurred to me, if they're here, villains from their world could've been transported here as well. _


	20. Chapter 20 Stay or Go?

**_Chapter 20 ~Stay or Go?~_**

By the time Karen pulled into her own driveway, she'd calmed down enough to think rationally. A suspicious look around the yard and porch as she pulled in told her that, at very least, no one had broken down the door in order to get into the house.

_I imagine Raphael at least would put up quite a fight,_ she thought. _No way is someone going to be able to just walk right in. _

Reassured, she gathered her groceries and headed inside, locking the front door carefully behind her.

"Raphael?" She called. The Turtle appeared so suddenly beside her, Karen dropped the bag she was carrying. He caught it deftly and gave her a smirk.

"Sorry."

"Sure you are," she scolded, but grinned. "Can you help me bring this stuff into the kitchen? How's everyone doing?"

"Sure, no problem. Leo's sleepin'. Sensei's wit' him. Donny tried gettin' up, but I _convinced_ 'im ta stay in bed. Luke an' Mike're playin' video games in Luke's room I t'ink but they're layin' down at least."

Karen chuckled. "Typical," she muttered. "I never could get Luke to rest for long, even when he was small."

"Mikey neither," said Raphael, gathering three bags up in his arms and heading for the kitchen. "Da guy nevah stops. Hey, did ya get Doritos?"

"Yep. Firehouse Doritos. Don said you like things spicy."

"T'anks." Raphael flashed her a grin.

Karen stopped short with an exaggerated gasp. "Did you… just… smile?" she asked, staring at him.

Raphael shot her a dirty look. "Funny," he muttered.

Karen snickered. "Sorry," she said without sincerity.

The Turtle just _humphed_ and carried the groceries into the kitchen, setting the bags down on the counter and rummaging through them.

"Where's da chips?" he asked.

"Here, I've got them." Karen smiled, holding out the prize. "Thanks, Raphael."

"Yer welcome. T'anks fer da chips." He hesitated. "Ya want help puttin' da stuff away?"

Karen shook her head. "That's ok. I need to talk to your dad, though." She kept her tone casual, but she felt Raphael's attention sharpen. He set the bag of Doritos on the table.

"What's up, Karen?"

She turned to look at him, taking the ginger ale out of the bag and setting it on the counter. He was watching her with a piercing gaze, as if he were trying to see into her very soul. She shook her head.

"I suppose you'd better know as well," she said with a sigh. "I don't want to upset everyone but… Raphael, do you know someone called 'Hun'?"

Raphael's hands went automatically to the sai tucked in his belt. His eyes narrowed dangerously behind his mask and a low growl escaped him.

"_Hun_?" he grated. "Yeah. Why?"

"Well… I have reason to believe he… he may be here. In our world," said Karen carefully, watching Raphael. The Turtle's expression darkened, his brow creasing into a scowl. He drew a sai, spinning it in his fingers.

"Great. Da ol' Turtle luck, workin' true ta form," he grumbled, pacing across the kitchen in obvious agitation. He paused, staring out the window as if searching for approaching danger.

"So, you do know him?" asked Karen, her heart sinking.

"He's a whackbag," said Raphael, turning to face the woman. "An' he's dangerous." He tucked the sai back into his belt, but his hands remained clenched on the hilts of his weapons. "How do ya know he's here?"

Briefly, Karen recounted her neighbor's story. "I don't think he knows you're here," she said. "He went to Vickie's because she writes for one of those sites Luke told us about. He seemed to think you'd seek her out."

Raphael shook his head. "Even if we knew about all dat, we wouldn't of gone to no human we didn't know fer help," he growled. He glanced at Karen's face. "I mean, we're glad we met ya, an' Luke too, but we can't exactly go knockin' on some stranger's door an' take a chance they won't shoot us 'r call da cops 'r somethin', ya know?"

Karen nodded. "It's only a matter of time, Raphael. It won't take him long to track you here. What are we going to do?"

"We've gotta go." Raphael's expression hardened into determination. He turned toward the hall. "I'll get Sensei an' da others. We'll get outta here an' go find Hun. I gotta score ta settle wit' 'im anyway."

"Wait." Karen hurried across the small space to catch the Turtle by the arm. "No. Raphael, your brothers aren't well, and Splinter is injured. You guys can't just go traipsing around out in the cold…"

"Karen, ya don't want Hun comin' here," snapped Raphael, shrugging off her hand. "Trus' me. He ain't gonna knock politely an' go away when ya say we ain't here! Didn't ya jus' tell me he busted yer neighbor's door in? He's trouble. We can't let ya get mixed up in our business. It ain't right."

"We're _already_ mixed up in it," Karen shot back. "Whether you like it or not, Raphael, you _did_ ask for our help. And you're here now. You have to see that you're all safer here than you would be wandering around out there on your own. At least here you've got food and shelter and help."

"We don't need help!"

Karen shook her head. "Maybe not," she said quietly. "But I hope you're not so foolish and proud that you'll turn it down when it's offered."

Raphael grunted and turned away. "It ain't dat we don't appreciate it, Karen. It's jus'… people who try ta help us usually end up gettin' hurt. I… I don't want ya gettin' hurt."

"No one's going to get hurt," said Karen gently, reaching out to take his hand firmly in her own. He jerked, trying to pull away, but she held on.

"You're not the only ones who've faced down tragedy, Raphael. Luke and I can take care of ourselves, don't you worry. Your family is welcome here for as long as you want to stay, and if anyone, and I mean _anyone_ tries to do you harm, they'll have to go through _me_ first."

The Turtle turned to look at her with amber eyes burning behind his mask. "Ya don't know what yer gettin' inta, Karen."

The woman nodded. "I know. But I also know you guys are worth fighting for. I gave my word to protect you. I'm not about to back down now. Listen, why don't we go and talk to Splinter together?"

"All righ'. But I'm tellin' ya, Karen, it'd be best if we cleared out."

Karen shook her head. "We can't stop you from leaving if that's what your family decides," she said.

She followed Raphael down the hall, pausing a moment to poke her head into Luke's room. Luke was laying on his bed, a game controller in his hand. Michelangelo sat on the air mattress, with his shell propped up against the wall, pushing buttons as fast as he was able on the second controller.

"Woo-hoo, Dude, I just _owned_ you!" he crowed.

"No way, Mikey, I'll get you on the next lap…" Luke retorted, leaning to one side as if he could control the car on the screen by shifting his weight.

"Glad to see you boys are feeling better," said Karen with a smirk.

"Yeah, Mom we're doing great," said Luke, barely sparing her a glance.

"Yeah, I'm _whomping_ Luke," said Mike, grinning broadly.

Karen laughed. "Well, don't get car sick you two."

She ignored their groans of protest at her bad pun and made her way down the hall to the room where Splinter was waiting. He met her at the door, with Raphael trailing close behind.

"Splinter, we need to talk," said Karen, keeping her voice low.

Splinter gave her a perplexed look. "All right, Miss Karen-san. Perhaps we might confer in the other room. Leonardo is sleeping, and I do not wish to disturb him."

"All right. Come out to the kitchen, and I'll make us some tea," said Karen easily. She noticed Raphael's scowl but didn't comment.

In the kitchen, she put on a pot of water to boil and set about gathering the teabags and cups, lining them up on the counter. She glanced over her shoulder at Raphael who refused to sit down, leaning instead against the kitchen doorway.

"Would you like tea, Raphael, or would you rather have a soda?"

"I don' want nothin'," growled the Turtle, crossing his arms over his plastron. A sharp glance from his father made him add a grudging "T'anks anyway."

Karen nodded and turned back to pouring the tea. She carried it to the table, setting a cup before the Rat, who nodded his thanks, before sitting down.

"Splinter, I met a neighbor on the way home."

"Yes, Miss Karen-san?"

"There's been a break in at her house," explained Karen. She drew a deep breath. "Raphael seems to think…"

"It's Hun, Sensei. He's here. He busted inta Karen's neighbor's house, lookin' fer us," Raphael burst out, apparently unable to contain himself any longer.

"I see," said Splinter. "This is worrying news."

"What are you going to do, Splinter?" asked Karen quietly.

The Rat gave her a troubled look. "For the moment, we can do nothing," he said. "My sons are too ill to fight."

"I don' see why I can't jus' go find Hun an' take 'im down, Sensei," Raph said suddenly. "I can handle 'im…"

"Raphael!" Splinter's sharp voice silenced his son's tirade. "We are a _family_, my son. We will face this threat together."

"But Karen an' Luke…"

"I understand your concern, my son. Miss Karen-san and I will discuss the possibilities. And the dangers. I have no intention of endangering our new friends with our continued presence here."

"Splinter," Karen interjected. "You don't have to leave. In fact, I'd really rather you didn't. This… this Hun character, he's an enemy?"

"A formidable one," answered Splinter, meeting her gaze steadily. "He is a very dangerous man, Miss Karen-san."

Karen nodded. "I understand, Sir. I appreciate your concern, I really do, but I don't think that your leaving will make Luke and I any safer. He broke right into Vickie's house. Heaven knows what he might've done if she hadn't escaped out the back. Luke and I… well, we have the rifle of course, but we're vulnerable, out here alone. If you leave, you'd be leaving us unprotected, as well as putting yourself in greater danger of being discovered by more humans, as well as having to deal with the elements, on top of the boys' illness." She knew better than to point out his own injury.

"I understand why you think leaving might be best, but I really hope that you'll reconsider. Splinter, I'd really like you all to stay."

Splinter bowed his head. When he looked at her again, he smiled. "Miss Karen-san, you are a very brave woman. We are fortunate to have met you. I believe you are right. Even in our weakened condition, my sons and I are more able to defend your home against Hun. We will stay. For now."

"But Sensei," Raphael protested. Splinter silenced him with a look.

"Raphael, do you believe your brothers are well enough to travel, to find shelter?" he asked gently. "Or that Miss Vincent-san and her son could defend themselves from our enemy? We will stay."

Raphael bowed his head. "_Hai_, Sensei." He turned and left the room.

Splinter sighed. He watched as Karen got up to pour the tea, his expression unreadable. She set the mug gently in front of him and he nodded his thanks.

"It's never easy, is it?" she remarked quietly. The Rat gave her a quizzical glance, and she smiled. "Raising boys. You never really know if you're doing the right thing."

"I agree, Miss Karen-san," he replied, glancing at the doorway his son had disappeared through.

"To parenting," said Karen, raising her glass.

Splinter raised his own a bit awkwardly, as if the gesture were unfamiliar to him. "To parenting," he agreed.


	21. Chapter 21 Vigil

**_Chapter 21 ~Vigil~_**

Karen slept uneasily that night, in her own bed. Splinter refused to leave Leonardo's side. Debating between the couch and her bed, she settled on the bed, leaving the couch open for Raphael. At around four AM, she rolled over again, and finally sat up with a sigh.

_Might as well check on the boys,_ she thought. _I'm sure not going to sleep tonight._

Padding down the hall, she poked her head into the living room, finding the couch empty, the blanket she'd left for the red-banded Turtle discarded in a bundled wad at one end. She moved toward Luke's bedroom. A quick glance through the door showed Luke and Michelangelo sleeping soundly, the video game controllers still lying on top of the blankets. Karen smiled, shaking her head, and continued to the room where Donatello and Leonardo were sleeping. She looked inside, and spotted Leonardo still on his plastron, his injured arm curled up over his head in a restless position. His face was turned away, but Karen could see the steady rise and fall of his shell. Splinter was propped up against the wall at the head of Leonardo's bed. As she shifted to look further into the room, Splinter sat up quite suddenly, glaring dangerously in her direction. Karen took an involuntary step back.

"Sorry," she said softly.

His gaze focused, and he relaxed. "Miss Karen-san. Is anything wrong?"

"No. I didn't mean to disturb you. I couldn't sleep. How are they?"

"Donatello is awake," said Splinter, following Karen's glance. "Leonardo has been restless. He fell asleep almost an hour ago." As he spoke, the Rat reached up, laying his hand lightly across Leonardo's head. He frowned. "His fever is unchanged," he said, sounding surprised.

"He's still running a fever?" Karen came into the room, alarmed, and knelt beside the Rat.

Carefully, she reached out, just touching the edge of Leonardo's shell. He stirred slightly, a soft moan escaping him, but Splinter's hand moved against his head and he went still, his breathing going deep and soft once more. Karen glanced at the Rat, and he nodded, so she touched the back of Leonardo's neck, marveling for a moment over the ultra-fine leather feel of his skin. The heat radiating off him had her frowning.

"He's really ill, Splinter." _It can't be… He's not sick like Luke was… He can't be. Their physiology is so different. It's just a bug, it has to be… _"What do you want to do?"

"I do not know, Miss Karen-san." Splinter sounded troubled. "Leonardo has not been so ill since he was very small."

_He's had this before… so it's not… It's just a bug. He's going to be ok. We'll figure this out. _

"What did you do for him then?"

A look from those dark eyes.

"I used herbs to reduce his fever as best I could. There was little else to be done."

"Without access to a doctor…" She shook her head. "How did you manage, Splinter?"

"It was not easy, Miss Karen-san," he told her dryly.

"He shouldn't be this ill," she mused, rubbing her fingers absently over the back of Leonardo's neck. "Luke's had the flu before, and he always gets over it in just a few days. He never runs a high-grade fever. And the others aren't this sick. Why just him?"

"I do not know, Miss Karen-san." Splinter sighed, passing a weary hand over his face.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" she asked.

Splinter's look answered for him.

"You won't do him any good if you get sick too," she told him firmly. "Splinter, you need to get some rest."

"I will be fine, Miss Karen-san," he replied stiffly.

Karen knew arguing would be useless. She stood up. "When Leonardo wakes up, I've got some Tylenol. That should help reduce his fever at least. For now, I'll go and see what the boys are doing, ok?"

"Thank you."

Karen headed back down the hall, listening for activity elsewhere in the house, but she might as well have been alone. She fought down her anxiety.

_He's going to be all right. Splinter said he had a fever like this once before. The chances of him having what Luke had are so slim…_

There was hardly a sound, aside from the normal creaks and sighs of the old house. She thought she heard a faint noise from her ex husband's office, so she headed in that direction, banishing the worry.

"Donatello? What are you doing?" she asked.

The purple-banded turtle turned so suddenly in the chair he nearly overbalanced.

"Karen! What are you doing up? I didn't disturb you, did I?"

"Not at all," she answered with a smile. "I didn't even know you were in here. I told Splinter I'd check on you and Raphael."

"Oh. How's Leo?"

"His fever's the same."

Donatello frowned. "He shouldn't be this sick," he said. "We've all had basic childhood illnesses before, but none of us have been really ill since we were kids. I don't understand. Mikey and I didn't get this sick."

"How is he even running a fever?" asked Karen. "I thought you said you were cold blooded."

Don shook his head. "Not really," he said. "As far as I can tell, we're not entirely cold blooded. I mean, obviously we can generate heat for ourselves, or we wouldn't be able to go outside at all in this kind of weather." He gestured toward the window. Karen glanced out, and noticed fat white snowflakes falling. "But we're a lot more sensitive to the cold than the average human. We have to keep moving constantly in winter, or we risk getting sluggish."

"Like you were, when I had to bring you inside," said Karen, giving him a sharp glance.

Don ducked his head in apparent embarrassment. "Yeah."

"So, what are you doing in here?" she asked.

"Oh! Oh, I… umm… I hope you don't mind. Luke said yesterday I could use this computer to get on the internet," said Donatello.

"Sure, Don," said Karen casually. "But how'd you get online? I thought the phone line was still disconnected?"

"No, I had time to hook it back up before your husband showed up yesterday." He fiddled with the mouse, avoiding Karen's gaze.

_Why is he so embarrassed? He wasn't this fidgety after he disconnected the phone,_ she thought_._

"Did you find what you needed ok?"

"Well, I um…"

Karen saw the cursor move with a jerk toward the red x. She glanced at the screen, but saw only text.

_What could he be looking up? It's not anything I would've expected a teenage boy to be embarrassed about looking at… but then, these aren't average teenage boys._

Donatello shifted in the chair again and sighed. "I was looking at the website Luke has an account on," he blurted. "The… fan-fiction."

"Oh." Understanding flooded Karen. "Are you… Ok, Don?" Tentatively, she laid a hand on his shoulder. He glanced at her, startled, but gave her a small smile and drew a deep breath.

"Yeah. I've been skimming some of these… stories. Some of them… well, there's a real variety…" His fingers flew over the keyboard, and a new screen flashed. "I've made a chart…" A page of complicated graphs appeared. "See, I've divided the stories by genre and detail. There seem to be a lot of stories where one of us is captured by villains and the others have to get him out." He snorted. "As if."

Karen almost laughed. But standing here, with her hand on his shoulder, the memory of Vickie's jangling nerves after her encounter with Hun rose in Karen's mind. She shivered in the warm room. "But it has happened," she pointed out. "You said that movie was accurate at least."

"Not entirely," said Donatello, not bothering to look up from the screen. "There were minor details that were off… it's as if someone _could_ see us…" He shook his head. "But they wrote it as a story. Like a lot of these people have done."

He clicked back to the fan-fiction website. "Some of them are very talented writers. There're a lot of… good imaginations represented here."

Karen noticed the way Donatello shifted, actually looking away as some of the titles scrolled down the screen.

"Did you read them _all?_" she asked, incredulous.

"Most of them," he said. "See, they have summaries, so you can see what the stories are about." He pointed. "I skimmed a few of each type. Some, that looked like they might be about things that actually have happened to us, I read more thoroughly. A few…" He swallowed hard.

"What is it, Don?"

"A few… well… let me just say I'm glad these weren't real events."

"Oh. You mean some people wrote really unpleasant things happening?"

"Or they wrote us doing things we'd never do! Splinter abusing us as kids, Mikey turning into a cold blooded killer, me using my technology to spy on our human friend like some kind of voyeur, Leo and Raph…" Donatello trailed off, turning a very odd shade of mottled red and green. "Well, never mind," he muttered.

"Donatello," Karen leaned forward, rubbing Don's shoulders firmly, feeling the trembling tension that had set in there. "Maybe it'd be better if you didn't read this stuff."

"I wish I hadn't read some of it," said Don, shaking his head as if to remove the material.

"These people don't _know_ you and your brothers," Karen told him.

"What about the movies?" asked Donatello.

"What about them?"

He turned to look at her, his brown eyes intense. "Karen, we're connected to this dimension somehow. I just haven't figured out the connection yet. But I _have _to, or we might never find a way home." He turned back to the computer. "It's… eerie, reading about my family this way," he said softly.

"Don…" Karen hesitated. "Look, I know this is all very weird to you, but remember, these people don't know you, not really. They're just making up stories."

"I know, but, well, some of them do _seem_ to know us. And others…" He shivered, glancing at the screen.

Karen sighed. "They only know what they've seen in the movies," she told him firmly. "These people are writers. They're using their own experiences mixed with what they think your lives _might_ be like. They admire you, Don. Remember, _fans_ wrote all these stories. People who've seen the movies and were so impressed with what they do know of you, they want to get to know you better, and this is the only way they can do that, through stories."

He glanced at her. "You sound like you understand them."

"I do, a little," she said. "My ex-husband is a very creative person. He's an animator. He writes some of his own storylines, and then creates the images to go along with it. He used to do a lot of drawing by hand, but now everything's going to CGI… there are so many younger people coming up in the media business, and the technology is changing so fast, it's been hard for him to adapt."

Donatello nodded. "Technology changes all the time," he said thoughtfully. "I can see where he'd have to learn new things just to keep up."

"Yeah. That's why he took this job in the lab. He's been having a hard time finding animation work," explained Karen. "A couple years ago, he had an opportunity to move to Massachusetts, to work in a small studio there, but he opted to stay close by, so he could see Luke. It was the first responsible decision he's made since I've known him." She sighed.

"You… don't think he made the right choice?" asked Don.

Karen glanced at him. "I thought so, at the time," she said. "But he was miserable at first, working at Santino. I really worried about him for a while… He seemed to be falling into a depression, until about a month ago. Lately he's been spending more time with Luke. He seems more involved. I guess he's finally starting to grow up."

"Sounds like it," said Donatello softly. "Luke's been great. I mean, this has got to be weird for him, too, but he hasn't been… the way I'd expect a fan to act."

"How did you expect him to act?" asked Karen, amused.

Donatello shrugged. "Like Mikey when he met the Silver Sentry last year," he said with a grin. "Luke's been helpful and friendly but not fawning, or trying to show off his knowledge of us. It's easy to forget we're fictional characters in this world." He swallowed hard.

"Donatello," said Karen. She knelt beside the chair and reached out to touch his shoulder. Don started, but didn't pull away. He looked at her questioningly. "You boys and your father are _not_ fictional characters," she told him firmly. "You're sitting here, aren't you? You're as real as Luke and I. These… characters, on the websites and in the movies, they're just that, characters. They might be based on you and your brothers, but they're not _you_."

Don swallowed hard, and nodded. "You're right, Karen. Thanks."

"Any time." Karen stood up. "You want some coffee?"

"I've got to check on Leo and Mike. Have you seen Raph yet this morning?"

She frowned. "You know what, I haven't. I know he's awake, the couch is empty, but I haven't seen him yet. I'd better go see what kind of mischief he's managed to get himself into."

Donatello chuckled. "Raph can take care of himself," he said. "I just want to make sure he's not getting sick, too."

"Ok, I'll start the coffee, then I'll go find your brother, while you check on the others, how's that?"

"Sounds good. Thanks."

Karen had just scooped coffee into the filter when the phone jangled, making her jump. _Who on earth is calling at…_ she glanced at the clock. _Five A.M._?

She snatched the receiver before the second ring. "Hello?"

"Karen, ya gotta come, quick! It's Mrs. Willard. She's… I don't know exactly, what's wrong wit' 'er, but... Ya gotta come right now!"

"Raphael?" Karen stared at the receiver as if it would give her a clue to the Turtle's whereabouts. "Raphael, where are you? What's going on?"

"I'm at Mrs. Willard's house. Please, Karen, just come. Bring Donny. He'll know what ta do. She's breathin', but she won't wake up."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Stay with her."

"Jus' hurry."


	22. Chapter 22 Break In

**A/N: Annnnnnnd, I'm back! Another big Thankies! and hugs to Danni for posting chapters while I was away. You ROCK my little Turtle socks. :D And the Ratty ones too... ;)  
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**_**Chapter 22 ~Break In~**_

Karen set the receiver down, her head whirling.

_What is Raphael doing at Martha's? How'd he get there? What's happening? He wouldn't have hurt her… I don't think. No, I know he wouldn't have. He's gruff and seems angry, but he's not cruel. There's no reason for him to attack a defenseless old woman. And if he had, he wouldn't have called me._

She rushed down the hall, sliding her arms into her jacket, and nearly collided with Splinter.

"Miss Karen-san, what is wrong?"

"It's Martha," she replied, heading toward the door. "Raphael just called, apparently from her house. He says she's unconscious. Breathing, but he can't wake her. I'm going over there now."

"I will accompany you," said Splinter decisively. "Perhaps I may help."

"All right," said Karen, grateful for the Rat's company. She wasn't sure what she was getting into, and it would be good to have another adult along, even if he was a four foot tall, talking Rat.

"Should we tell Don where we're going?" she asked. Splinter nodded and disappeared down the hall toward the office.

Karen grabbed the keys and headed out to the truck, starting the engine and adjusting the heater. Splinter appeared at the door just a moment later, and she leaned over to open it for him. He climbed into the cab. Karen noticed he was still moving a bit stiffly, but he seemed unwilling to let his injury slow him down.

As soon as he was settled in the seat, she jerked the truck into gear and wasted no time making the short trip to Martha Willard's house.

From the outside, nothing appeared out of place. Karen jumped out of the truck and hurried to the passenger side, but Splinter was already on the ground, closing the door behind him. Karen gave him a quick nod and started toward the house, only to be stopped by a furred hand catching her wrist. She turned, startled.

"Wait, Miss Karen-san," said Splinter. "We do not know what we might meet inside. Please, let me go first."

"Martha is ill," said Karen.

Splinter's grip on her arm only tightened.

"My son is inside as well," he reminded her quietly. "Miss Karen-san, please."

"All right," she said finally. "But I'm coming too. You can't expect me to wait out here."

Splinter nodded. "Very well. Come."

The pair made their way quickly but cautiously across the yard. Karen felt as if her senses were heightened. She heard every rustle of wind, every chirp of the awakening birds, every creak of the old oak planted in Martha's front yard. Something dropped from the tree, making her jump. Splinter barely glanced over his shoulder.

"It was a bit of snow," he told her.

"Ok." Karen felt herself blushing.

_Well, if he weren't so intent on making this seem like we're sneaking into enemy territory, I wouldn't be so jumpy,_ she thought.

Splinter was already at the front door. He turned the knob and slipped inside, Karen close behind. His black eyes darted about the room and he lifted his nose, sniffing the air.

"Come," he said softly, gesturing.

Karen suppressed the urge to call out to Raphael, and followed the Rat cautiously into the room, wincing slightly at the sound of her own footsteps. He moved effortlessly, without a sound.

"Splintah, Karen. She's upstairs." Raphael appeared so suddenly Karen had to clap her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out.

"Take us to her," said Splinter sharply.

Raphael was already half way up the stairs. "She's in da hall," he said over his shoulder. "She's breathin', but I can't wake her up."

Splinter and Karen followed the Turtle upstairs. Karen gasped as they turned the corner, catching sight of her neighbor lying sprawled on the floor. The old woman lay on her back, one arm thrown awkwardly to the side. She was partially covered with a fleece blanket, and Karen noticed a small lace-edged pillow had been tucked under her head. She rushed to the woman's side, kneeling beside her, and pressed her fingers to her neck. Relief flooded her as she detected a thin but steady pulse.

"Did you do this?" she looked up at Raphael.

"What? No! I didn't do nothin' ta 'er! I found 'er like dis," protested Raphael, crossing his arms over his plastron and glaring. "What kinda Turtle do ya t'ink I am, anyway?"

"No, no, Raphael, I meant, did you cover her?" Karen clarified quickly.

"Oh! Oh… well yeah. She seemed… I mean, her skin felt kinda cold. Ya know, fer a human. You're usually warm," he said gruffly, not quite forgiving her.

"You did the right thing," said Karen approvingly. She leaned over Martha, quickly checking her vital signs. "She's breathing strongly, and her pulse seems good." Carefully, she slid her fingers through the old woman's fine silvery hair, and frowned. "She's got a nasty bump."

"Do ya t'ink she coulda fell?" asked Raphael.

Karen shook her head. "It's possible," she said softly. "But any head injury that results in unconsciousness should be considered serious. We've got to get her an ambulance right away."

"I agree, Miss Karen-san," said Splinter gravely. "The mystery of what happened here must wait. Miss Willard-san needs medical care immediately."

"I'll call 9-1-1," said Karen, pulling her cell phone out of her pocket.

Within twenty minutes, Karen heard faint sirens approaching. Splinter and Raphael had made themselves scarce within the house until the authorities left, and Karen stayed with Martha, stroking her hand gently over the old woman's forehead.

Suddenly, she stirred, her eyelashes flickering.

"Martha?" Karen leaned forward, gripping the woman's hand. "Martha, can you hear me?"

"Mmm…" The woman shifted slightly, moaning. "J… Jimmy?"

"No, Martha," said Karen gently. "Honey, James isn't here. It's me, Karen. Can you hear me?"

"Jimmy… that man… he was here… but Jimmy came… I heard him…"

"Martha! Martha, it's me, Karen Vincent. Honey, what man? Who did this?"

Blue eyes flickered open. The woman moaned softly again.

"Can't… see… glasses…" Her hand moved restlessly under the blanket. Remembering the cardigan the woman habitually wore, Karen moved the blanket aside and found the glasses in her side pocket. She gently placed them on Martha's face. The old woman blinked, and turned her head, finally focusing on Karen.

"Karen?" she whispered. One hand came up, and Karen took it in her own, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She heard a knock from downstairs.

"Come in," she called over her shoulder. "Up here! She's upstairs!"

The door opened, and for a split second, panic spiked in Karen's chest. What if the ambulance hadn't arrived? What if she'd just invited in the man who'd done this in the first place? The crackle of a radio and the familiar _hellooo_ from Pete Darlee brought her breathing back down to normal.

"She's up here, Pete," called Karen again. She heard the heavy treads coming slowly up the stairs.

"Karen…" Martha stirred. "There was a man… big… he was looking for something…" her eyes slid out of focus, but she closed them for a moment, taking a deep breath. When her eyes flickered open again, she met Karen's gaze with an obvious effort. "Then I heard James. He called my name, and the man… I think he hit me… everything went dark."

"Martha, James has been gone for a long time," said Karen gently. "Remember?"

Thin tears slid down the weathered cheeks. "Someone called out. The man…" Martha closed her eyes again as Pete Darlee knelt beside Karen.

"Good mornin' Mrs. Willard," said Pete gently, taking the old woman's wrist in thick fingers. He pressed gently, seeking a pulse. "Havin' a spot of trouble this mornin'?"

"'Bout time you… came to see me," whispered Martha without opening her eyes. "What's an old woman got to do to get a visit from the Sheriff, anyway?"

Pete chuckled. "You're gonna be just fine, Mrs. Willard," he said. "Come on, Joe, get in here and check her out." He motioned to the paramedic who'd just come to the top of the stairs. The man nodded and knelt at Martha's side. He pulled out a stethoscope and gently pushed the blanket aside.

"Pete, I think someone may have broken in here," said Karen, meeting the man's eyes over Martha's prone form. "Martha says someone attacked her, and she has a nasty lump on the back of her head."

Pete frowned, glancing at the old woman. "Martha, is that true?"

"I… heard a noise," she breathed. "I got up to investigate, and… there was a man… a big man… He had a lizard…" She lifted her hand to touch her cheek. "On his face." She shivered under the blanket. Her eyes opened again and she struggled to lift her head. "I'm quite all right now, young man," she said to the paramedic.

"Whoa, there, Mrs. Willard," said Pete, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Better let Joe here do his job. You don't want him getting into trouble with his boss, now do you?"

"Don't be so silly," Martha managed, but she subsided with a sigh. "I'll be perfectly all right if I could just rest a bit…"

Joe shook his head and wrapped a blood pressure cuff around her arm.

"I think you should go to the hospital, Mrs. Willard. Let them check you over," said Pete gently.

The woman began to sputter an angry refusal, but Karen spoke up. "Martha, you know Pete's right. You've got a nasty bump on the back of your head. You need to get checked out."

"Well, if you say so," muttered Martha, subsiding.

Soon Joe'd finished his checks, and with Pete's help, Martha was transferred to the stretcher. Karen could hear her fussing all the way down the stairs as the two men carried her, firmly bundled under several warm blankets, out to the ambulance.

The engine revved and the ambulance drove off, and Pete Darlee came back into the house. Karen was just shaking out the blanket and folding it carefully. She picked up the pillow, laying them both on Martha's bed, and glancing surreptitiously around the room, but Splinter and Raphael were no where to be seen.

"Did you see anything suspicious, Karen?" asked Pete, coming up the stairs.

Karen shook her head, turning to face the man. His hazel eyes were piercing, though his expression was friendly and relaxed.

"Not a thing, Pete. I don't understand it. Who would want to harm Martha?"

"I don't know, Karen." He shook his head. "Vickie McGellon told me you heard about her trouble."

"Yes. I picked her up on the road," said Karen slowly. "And took her to Louise's. Did you catch the man who broke into her place?"

Pete shook his head. "No. I don't like it. This guy's dangerous. But he did a lot of damage at Vickie's, and here… Martha's door hasn't been forced, as far as I can see. I'd better have a look around, make sure everything's secure."

"Good idea. Do you want me to stick around? Give you a statement or something?"

Pete nodded. "Why don't you walk around the house with me? You're here pretty often. Maybe you'll notice if there's anything out of place."

"All right." Karen followed the sheriff downstairs, praying silently that the Turtle and the Rat would stay out of sight. There was no sign of either of them as Pete led the way downstairs and through the living room. Nothing seemed disturbed, except one small table. The drawer was pulled out, and a few papers were scattered on the floor.

"Looks like he might've been searching for something," said Pete, pointing. Karen nodded.

"Didn't find it down here," mused Pete. "So he headed upstairs. But what's his point of entry? There was no damage to the front door."

"It was open," said Karen quickly. "You know Martha. She never locks her front door."

Pete glanced at her, but didn't comment, just nodded. "Let's check 'round back."

The pair made their way through the small kitchen and down a short hall to the back door.

"Ahh, here it is," he said, pointing. "Look at this door jamb."

Karen looked, and her breath caught in her chest. The door jamb was splintered, ragged wood showing along the neat trim. Kneeling, Pete took a closer look, and whistled.

"Will ya lookit that?" he said softly.

Karen leaned closer. The metal latch plate was _torn_, ripped apart as if it'd been made of paper. "Who could've done this?" she asked softly. The feel of Raphael's muscles rippling under his skin when she'd touched his arm flashed through her mind, but she dismissed the thought.

_He called me to help Martha. He didn't do this._

"Could o' been the same guy," said Pete thoughtfully.

"But why Martha?" asked Karen. "Vickie seemed to think he went after her because she writes fiction for a website. She said she thought he might've found her address through the site."

Pete shrugged. "She didn't say much about that to me. What kind of site? What kind of fiction?"

"Fan-fiction," explained Karen. "Luke has an account. People write stories about characters in movies and books and things."

"Huh." Pete grunted, standing up. "Well, this seems to shoot that theory," he said, pushing the door closed and pulling it open again to check the latch. "Martha doesn't even have a computer." The door swung open without resistance, and he frowned. "I'd better find a way to secure this door," he muttered. "It'd never do to have someone break in again while Martha's in the hospital."

"What if we jam a chair under the handle?" asked Karen.

Pete nodded. "It'll have to do for now. I'll come back this afternoon and fix this latch."

"Sounds like a good idea," said Karen.

She watched Pete jam the chair under the doorknob. Stepping back to admire his work, he glanced at her. "Well, there's nothing more to do here," he said. "You all right, Karen?"

"Yeah," she said. "I'm just glad we got to her in time. I think she'll be ok. I'll call the hospital later to check on her."

"Good. Let me know how she is, ok? And Karen?"

"Yes?"

"Take care of yourself, ok?"

Karen met the man's eyes. He was staring so intently at her, she took a step back. Pete shook his head. "There's some nut bustin' into women's houses, Karen. I don't know what this guy's game is yet, but I'm gonna find out. Meanwhile, you just be careful, ok?"

"Don't worry, Pete," said Karen. "Luke and I can look after ourselves."

"You always have been a strong woman," said the man with a smile.

Karen felt herself flushing. "Umm… thanks," she murmured, unsure how to answer.

"John was a lucky man," said Pete lightly, turning away. "A fool, mind you, for letting you get away, but a lucky man."

Karen's blush deepened, but Pete said no more, just led the way out to the front door. He let her out solicitously before locking the door carefully behind him. He stood on the front porch watching as Karen made her way across the yard to her truck.

Under his watchful eye, she had no choice but to climb up into the cab and start the engine. She glanced toward the house, and a piece of paper on the car seat caught her eye. In rough lettering, the note read

_Gone back to the house. Meet you there._

Relief flooded her. She started the truck, and gave Pete a wave. She saw him in the rear-view mirror, watching as she pulled out of the drive and rolled toward home.


	23. Chapter 23 Raphael

**A/N: _Ohayoo gozaimasu, Ootosan_ means "Good morning, Father."**  
**_Musuko_ means "my son"**

**And denial isn't just a river in Egypt, Karen. *sigh*  
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_Chapter 23 ~Raphael~_**

Karen scanned the fields as she drove, but saw no sign of Raphael or Splinter. She was so intent on searching for her mutant guests, she didn't notice the car parked in her driveway until she'd pulled in and gotten out of the truck.

_John._

She flew toward the porch, fearful he'd discovered them. "Luke?" she called, rushing through the front door.

"Right here, Mom," answered Luke from the living room. Karen rushed from the foyer into the living room. John was standing to one side, leaning casually against an armchair. Luke was sitting, sprawled on the couch. He raised a smile, though he looked a bit pale.

"Dad says I can go to the lab with him this weekend, and see where he works," said Luke. "Can I go, Mom?"

"Luke, you shouldn't be out of bed," scolded Karen, coming forward to feel his forehead. To her relief his skin was warm, but not burning under her touch. She repressed the urge to ask about Leonardo. Luke's flickering glance told her John hadn't discovered the Rat and his sons. Yet.

"Mom, I'm _fine_," muttered Luke in a show of annoyance at her fussing. "I really want to see the lab. I'm sure I'll be fine by Saturday. Can I go, Mom?"

"We'll see," said Karen with a sigh. "Sorry, John. Hi." She crossed the space between them, and leaned close to brush a kiss against her ex husband's cheek. "I didn't mean to ignore you. I was just worried about Luke. He really shouldn't be up and about."

"Karen, don't worry. He's fine," said John. His smile was strained. "Where have you been, anyway? I stopped by on my way to work, but Luke was here alone. I figured since he was sick I'd better stay until you got home."

_Which is more than you did when he was in the hospital,_ thought Karen bitterly.

"Luke's been throwing up and running a fever," she snapped. "But I got a phone call this morning. Martha Willard…" She hesitated. "Someone broke into her house. She had a pretty nasty bump on her head."

"Martha's injured?" John looked stricken. "Are you sure? Did she tell you what happened?"

"Well," Karen paused. John was pale, and his hands were shaking slightly. "She's going to be all right," she told him, noticing the way his shoulders slumped in visible relief. "She was a bit fuzzy on what exactly happened. Someone broke into her house, that's for certain. Pete and I found the back door latch broken. Martha was upstairs. She was unconscious when I got there, and when she woke up she was asking for James."

"Poor Martha," said John, shaking his head. "Karen, you need to be careful. Someone's going around breaking into womens' houses. Keep the doors locked at night, and if you see anything, I mean _anything, _the least bit... unusual, please call me."

"Don't worry so much, John," said Karen firmly. "Luke and I can take care of ourselves."

"Karen, why are you so stubborn?" asked John, a slight frown creasing his brow. "I just want to know you and Luke are safe."

"Don't worry," said Karen quietly. "Luke and I are _fine_. We've managed all right so far."

"Karen…"

"Luke needs to rest if you want him to come by the lab on Saturday," said Karen firmly.

John sighed. "All right. Just promise me, Karen, if you see anything, I mean _anything,_ out of the ordinary, you'll call me. Please."

"We're fine," said Karen again, looking pointedly toward the door.

"Good bye, Luke. Take care of yourself, Buddy," said John. He turned, and without another word or glance for Karen, stalked out. She walked as far as the front door with him, for no other reason than to watch for Splinter and Raphael. At the door, John paused one more time.

"Karen," he said, reaching up to touch her hair. She instinctively jerked away, glaring at him.

"John, we're _fine_. Stop acting like I need a _man_ to look out for me," she snapped.

"I know you don't," he retorted. "You never did, did you?"

Something seemed to crack in Karen's chest, but she just shook her head.

His hand dropped, and John started to turn toward the steps, but froze, his eyes widening. "What the?"

"What? What is it?" Karen turned to glance back into the house, through the partially open door.

"I thought I saw someone walk by. It wasn't Luke… he was too tall…" John started to brush by Karen, to go back inside.

"John, no," she cried, planting herself firmly between him and the door.

"Karen, someone's in there!" John stared at her as if she'd lost her mind.

She mustered her fiercest glare. "John. If you must know, I have _guests. _A friend and his sons are visiting from out of town."

"What? Who? And why didn't Luke say anything? What's going on, Karen?"

"He's… an old friend," said Karen, thinking fast. She met her ex-husband's eyes. "Honestly, John, I didn't think it was any of your business, who I have visit. The boys have caught the same bug Luke has, and they're resting. Their father is taking care of them. I didn't want to disturb them with… awkward introductions."

John turned, and for an instant the early sun seemed to glitter in his eyes.

"I'm sorry to have… intruded," he said stiffly. "I guess I don't have to worry about you being out here alone, after all. Don't worry, next time I'll call before I visit."

"John…"

"Good bye, Karen."

She watched as he turned and strode away toward his car, and didn't understand why tears stung her eyes and her heart constricted.

_I hope I'm not catching a spring cold_, thought Karen, turning to go inside. _The last thing we need right now is for me to get sick too._

Heading into the house, she finally called out. "Raphael, Splinter?"

Raphael appeared like a ghost from the living room, startling Karen so she had to clap a hand over her mouth to stop from crying out.

"Is 'e gone?" he asked.

"Yes, John's left," Karen answered.

Splinter came in close behind his son. "Raphael," he said a bit sharply. "You must be more cautious, my son."

"It wasn't me, Sensei!"

"You both got back safely then," said Karen, interrupting the pending argument.

Splinter turned to face her. "Yes. Is Miss Willard-san all right?"

"She will be," said Karen. "Pete Darlee had her taken by ambulance to the hospital. She's got a nasty bump on the head, but she was awake and talking."

Splinter's attention sharpened. "And did she say what had happened?"

"She said someone broke into her house. She confronted him, but didn't get a good look at him. She just said he was… big." Karen met Splinter's dark gaze. "It sounds like your friend again," she said.

"Indeed, Miss Karen-san." Splinter sighed. "He must have fled before Raphael arrived."

Raphael's hands went automatically to his sai. "I didn't see Hun," he growled.

"She said she heard someone calling her name, and the man ran away," said Karen. Raphael stirred, but didn't comment. "She thought it was James… her son, but he's been dead a long time." She saw Splinter wince. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "James was a fine man. It was meant to be his last tour of duty... He gave his life fighting for his country."

"Miss Willard-san must have been very proud of him," said Splinter.

Karen nodded. "We all were," she said quietly. "Come on. I think we could both use a cup of tea." She gestured toward the kitchen. Splinter nodded.

"I'm gonna go lay down fer a while," said Raph.

"You can use my room, Raphael," said Karen gently. "I think it's the only open bed."

The Turtle hesitated a moment. Splinter met his eyes and gave him a slight nod.

"Um… ok. T'anks." Raphael moved off down the hall.

Karen fetched the tea and mugs from the cupboard, while Splinter put the water on to boil. She smiled at the easy way he moved around the kitchen now, as if he felt at home.

"Did Raphael tell you why he went to Martha's in the first place?" she asked.

The Rat glanced at her. "Raphael is sometimes… restless," he said. "He often finds peace by going… topside, as my sons call it, and exercising by running across the rooftops. This morning he could not sleep. He went for a run and made his way to Miss Willard-san's home. I think he remembered her kindness," Splinter added with a wry smile. "It is not often that my sons meet humans who do not fear our… different… appearance."

"He took a chance," said Karen with a frown. "The first time Martha met him, she wasn't wearing her glasses, and she was pretty confused. She might not have reacted so well a second time."

"I do not think Raphael intended to speak with Miss Willard-san," said Splinter calmly. "He simply wished to… check up on her. To be sure she was safe. My sons are very protective of those they consider friends."

"I see. Well, I'm glad for Martha's sake that Raphael went out this morning. Heaven knows how long she might have lain there, if he hadn't come along."

Splinter nodded, taking a cautious sip of the tea Karen set in front of him. "Or what might have happened. It is apparent Hun does not wish to be discovered. He is volatile, and rarely retreats from a fight. He is still searching for us, but I believe he does not know we have knowledge of his presence. We must take action soon, Miss Karen-san, while we have the advantage of surprise, and before anyone else is hurt."

"But you're not ready to face him," protested Karen. "Leonardo is still sick, and you're recovering from a wound…"

"We must not allow anyone else to come to harm," said Splinter firmly.

"Splinter, Pete Darlee's a good sheriff," said Karen. "Let him do his job. Stay here, rest, recover, until we find a way to send you home."

"Miss Karen-san," said Splinter. "I appreciate your concern, and your hospitality, but we cannot leave until we find a way to defeat Hun. We cannot leave our enemy here to wreak havoc in your world when we return to our own."

_If you can find a way to return,_ thought Karen with a stab of regret.

"You are welcome here, Splinter," she told the Rat. "For as long as you need."

He bowed his head. _"Doomo arigatoo,_ Miss Karen-san," he murmured.

Karen smiled. She'd become quite fond of the Rat and his formal ways, and his four sons were growing on her as well.

"We should check on Leonardo," she said.

"Yes, Miss Karen-san. His fever should be coming down, but I fear it will not be easy to keep him in bed," said Splinter with a smile. "My sons can be… stubborn at times."

"I can't imagine where they learned it from," said Karen lightly with a smile. The Rat gave her a look, but didn't answer, just shook his head with a chuckle.

Karen led the way this time, down the short hall to the bedrooms. They found Leonardo still sprawled out on the bed, but lying on his side now, and awake. His dark eyes were glassy.

"_Ohayoo gozaimasu, Ootosan_," murmured Leonardo.

Splinter rushed to the bedside, grasping his son's hand in his own. "Leonardo, _musuko_!"

"What is it?" Karen came forward, kneeling beside Splinter. "What was he saying?" She reached out to touch Leo's arm above the strips of linen still holding the splint in place. He flinched, jerking at the contact. Splinter spoke a few words Karen couldn't understand, and Leonardo relaxed, his dark eyes seeking his father's face. His skin was burning under Karen's fingers, and she felt the dampness of sweat.

"He is growing worse," said Splinter. "He was speaking Japanese… when my sons were small, I spoke Japanese to them. They, and I, learned English as they grew older. Leonardo's mind is reverting to childhood."

"What could this _be_?" asked Karen, her fingers tightening on Leo's arm as if she could pull him bodily back from the brink. "He shouldn't be this sick. None of the others are."

_It's like Luke all over again. Please, no… this can't be happening…_

"I fear he is plagued with a secondary infection," said Splinter. "One that his body is unable to fight off alone."

"I think you're right," said Karen. Tears stung her eyes.

_But for Leonardo there's no hospital, no IV, no doctors to fight the infection… All we have is…_ "Splinter, do you know if the boys have any tolerance for antibiotics? The only option that seems reasonable right now is to give him a dose of the penicillin."

Splinter gave her a troubled look. "They have never had conventional medicine, Miss Karen-san, aside from some simple painkillers like the one I gave him earlier."

"Well, you seemed to do ok with penicillin," mused Karen. She caught his startled look. "Donatello and I gave you a shot of it while you were unconscious," she explained. "To help ward off infection from the laceration."

Splinter regarded her steadily. "Then it seems I was able to tolerate the medication," he said slowly.

"I'm sorry we took the chance without waiting until you woke up, Sir," said Karen. "But there seemed little other choice."

"I understand, Miss Karen-san. You acted in my best interest." He smiled a bit grimly. "I fear we have no choice. We must do the same now for Leonardo."

Karen nodded. "I'll get the syringe," she said, rising. "Meanwhile, maybe his brothers can help carry him to the bathroom. We've got to get that fever down, and I don't know any better way than immersing him in some cool water."

Splinter nodded. He gently disengaged his hand from Leonardo's grasp. The Turtle moaned softly, his fingers curling as if he'd seize his father's hand again. Karen leaned over and patted his shell gently, before heading out to fetch the supplies they'd need. Tears welled in her eyes. Leonardo had been cool toward her, suspicious, but he was so young, and so terribly ill. Memories of Luke's own illness threatened to flood her mind. She pushed them down, focusing on what had to be done.

"Karen, what's going on?" Donatello met her in the laundry room as she pulled the large medical kit she kept for the horses out.

Karen turned to face him. Don's light brown eyes reflected worry, and his shoulders were tense.

"It's Leonardo," she told him as gently as she could. "His fever's spiked again, and he's a little out of it right now. Splinter's consented to give him some of the penicillin, and he's going to get Raphael to help put him in a cool bath. We've got to get that fever down."

She opened the kit, balancing it on the lid of the washing machine, and began sorting out the supplies.

"What I don't understand," she muttered, "Is why he's so ill…"

"Miss Karen-san!" Splinter's urgent call had them both rushing to the door. The Rat appeared in the doorway, his onyx eyes wide with distress.

"It is Raphael," he panted. "Come quickly!"


	24. Chapter 24 Travel Sickness

**A/N: Congrats to sait4soreyes for guessing what's up with the boys! And thanks to Pinguin for spotting a typo in the last chapter. :)**

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**_**Chapter 24 ~Travel Sickness~**_

"What is it, Father?" asked Donatello, already starting toward the guest room.

"He is unconscious," replied Splinter. "And I am unable to wake him. Donatello, I will need you and Michelangelo to assist me. We must get your brothers' temperatures down _now_."

"Raphael's running the fever now, too?" asked Karen, breathless. Splinter didn't need to answer. They tumbled into the room, and Karen could see from across the room the reddish cast to the darkest Turtle's skin and the thin sheen of sweat that had formed across his forehead. She swore aloud. Splinter didn't so much as glance at her.

"Mom? What's going on?" Luke was standing in the doorway, watching wide-eyed and pale.

"Luke, go get Michelangelo," she answered, heading for the door. "Soak some towels with cool water, and bring them in here as quickly as you can. She glanced over her shoulder. "Don, Splinter, you'll need to lay them over his head and chest especially. Do the same for Leonardo. I'm going to prepare the antibiotics."

Splinter nodded, and Luke fairly flew down the hall. Karen could hear the cupboard doors banging and Luke calling Mikey to come and help. She half-ran back to the laundry room to fetch the medication, estimating the dosages. She rushed back to the bedroom where Michelangelo was handing Splinter several wet towels.

Raphael shifted on the bed, groaning softly, but Splinter kept sponging his head and arms. Karen wasted no time injecting the liquid into Raphael's bicep. She barely acknowledged Splinter's nod of thanks before rushing down the hall to the room where Leonardo lay on the other bed. Donatello was leaning over him, laying towels carefully over his plastron and forehead. Luke stood well back from the bed, watching.

"Careful, Mom," he said urgently as Karen hurried forward, intending to deliver the medicine. "He took a swing at Don."

"Luke's right, Karen," said Donatello, looking up. "He doesn't know where he is or what's happening."

Karen gasped. A darkening bruise was appearing on the olive Turtle's jaw.

"Don, are you ok? Please tell me he didn't do that with his broken arm."

"No, it was his right hand. Don't worry," he answered grimly. "But maybe I'd better be the one to give him the shot."

"Ok, but wait a minute. I'm going to get your father and brother in here to help you first," said Karen.

Donatello nodded, and went back to sponging his brother's skin, using his knee to pin his brother's wrist, holding the broken arm down carefully by gripping Leo's elbow with one hand. Leonardo was squirming, but he was far too weak to dislodge his brother's weight.

Karen hurried back to the room where the others were still hovering over Raphael.

"Don needs your help," she told them. They filed out without wasting time on questions. Karen followed them down the hall, torn between the rooms, sick with worry for the two ill Turtles.

She watched, her stomach churning, as Splinter took one arm and Donatello the other, with Michelangelo kneeling on the end of the bed to pin his brother's legs. Leonardo's restless movements became more agitated, but Splinter leaned close to his son, speaking softly. Karen turned away, seeing Leonardo flinch as Don slid the needle home. Luke was standing in the doorway, his eyes wide in his pale face.

"Mom…"

"It's ok, Luke. He's going to be ok." She reached out automatically to reassure him.

"I know… it's just…" Luke shook his head. "Was it this bad for you? The hospital, when I was sick? It's not… it's not what I had, is it?"

Karen paused, looking into her son's eyes. She hesitated a moment. "No," she answered finally. "I still think this is some kind of infection, but their symptoms are different. Luke, you got better. Leonardo's going to get better, too. They're both going to be ok."

"They've got to be, Mom," mumbled Luke, staring at the Turtle on the bed. "They've just got to be."

It was a long, monotonous day of changing towels, waiting and watching. None of them got much sleep that night. Splinter and Donatello took turns keeping a constant vigil over Leonardo and Raphael, changing the damp towels often to help reduce the fever. Leonardo's breathing had slowed to the deeper rhythm of normal sleep, but they couldn't rouse him.

Karen stayed with Raphael, sending Luke and Michelangelo to bed just before midnight. The red-banded Turtle moved restlessly in his sleep, muttering, but his fever didn't seem to go nearly as high as Leonardo's had been.

As the first rays of morning shone through the window, Karen removed the towel from his forehead and went to the bathroom to run it under cool water. Wringing it out, she returned, repeating the process with the one over his plastron. As she leaned forward to lay the towel over him again, Raphael stirred.

"…Donny?" his voice was weak.

"Shhh, it's ok, Raphael," said Karen softly. "Don's helping your brother."

"April?"

Amber eyes flickered open and focused on her face with an effort, before going wide with alarm.

"Oh, _shell_!" He shifted, and one muscular hand came up with enough force to push Karen away, but not enough to hurt her. "Where am I? Who the shell are you? How'd I get here?"

"Raphael," said Karen sharply, picking herself up from the floor. "Take it easy. It's ok."

"I…" The Turtle was struggling to sit up, his face a mask of confusion. He rubbed a hand over his arm where the antibiotic had been injected the night before.

"Ow! What the… what's goin' on?"

"Raphael," Karen said again. She approached the bed warily. "You're ok. You're in my house, remember?"

He watched her, uncertainty still showing in his eyes for a moment before his gaze cleared.

"Karen… Aw, man, I'm sorry. I didn't hurt ya, did I?"

"No, I'm fine." A relieved smile broke over Karen's face. "I'm glad to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck," grumbled Raphael, sinking back onto the bed. "What _happened_?"

"You've been very sick. Your father and I are trying to bring the fever down," she told him, "And we've given you a dose of antibiotics, but you're going to have to take it easy for a few days."

"I felt ok dis mornin'," grumbled the Turtle. Karen reached to adjust the towel on his chest and he batted her hand away. "What're ya doin'?" he asked gruffly.

"I'm _trying_ to help you," she retorted, reaching for the towel again. "Raphael, it _is_ morning… tomorrow morning. You slept all of yesterday and last night."

Amber eyes bored into hers. "Where's ever'body else?" he asked. "What abou' Leo?"

Karen glanced up, unsure how much to tell him. "Leonardo's worse off than you were," she said finally. "His fever went dangerously high. We've been giving him the same treatment all night, with the wet towels, to bring down his temperature. His fever broke sometime around dawn."

"What else? What ain't ya tellin' me?" asked Raph, watching her sharply.

Karen glanced at him, startled. "Nothing. Well, just…"

"What?"

"He punched Donatello," said Karen finally. "Last night. He didn't know what he was doing. Don's ok, but he's going to have a heck of a bruise. Your brother was very ill, but he's going to be all right now."

"I gotta see 'im," growled Raphael, struggling to sit up again.

Karen put her hands firmly on his plastron and pushed him back down. "Not yet," she told the glaring Turtle. "You're not moving from this bed until I'm sure your fever's under control."

"He's my _brother_," snarled Raphael.

"And you're my patient," snapped Karen, glaring right back. "How much good will you do him if you get up too fast and pass out? If we have to spend more time taking care of you, too?"

Raphael subsided with a growl and Karen let him go, sitting up. "Listen, I understand how you feel," she said gently. "I really do. And I promise, as soon as we're able, we'll get you moved into the other room with him. But for now, Raphael, please rest. Please."

"All right," he answered sullenly.

"Raphael! You're awake."

Karen turned to find Luke standing in the doorway, a tired smile plastered across his face.

"Luke, I told you two to go to bed."

"Michelangelo snores."

A convulsive laugh escaped Karen. "All right. Since you're up, can you stay with Raphael while I go and check on Leonardo?"

Luke swallowed hard, but nodded.

Raph noticed his nervous expression and chuckled. "Relax, Kid. I ain't gonna bite."

Luke stared for a moment before his frown faded into a grin. Karen squeezed his shoulder before heading back to the guest bedroom to check on the others.

She met Donatello in the hall, bringing more damp towels. Splinter was sitting on the bed, sponging Leo's skin and speaking softly to him. Karen was relieved to see his breathing was slow and regular.

"How is he?"

"I think he is improving," said Splinter softly. "The fever has broken. He should wake soon. How is Raphael?"

"He's awake and grumbling," said Karen with a smile.

A faint sigh of relief escaped the Rat. "Again, Miss Vincent-san, we are in your debt."

"Nonsense," said Karen briskly. "Raphael wants to be moved in here as soon as you think it wise. He's worried about his brother."

Splinter nodded. "It would perhaps be best, Miss Karen-san," he replied.

"All right. I'll get Don to help him," said Karen, nodding. "And then they should all get some rest. Oh, and Splinter, I think the other boys should have a shot of the penicillin as well."

Splinter's bushy eyebrows rose. "Why?"

"To avoid a repeat of these symptoms," said Karen firmly. "Whatever this bug is, it hit Raph very suddenly. Leonardo had symptoms before the fever got bad, but in Raphael there was hardly any sign. I'd rather not take a chance on the other two getting sick as well."

Splinter hesitated. "If you think it would be best, Miss Karen-san," he said.

"I do."

The Rat nodded.

"And then," said the woman, crossing her arms over her chest, "You and Donatello must get some sleep as well. She held up a hand to forestall his protest. "Michelangelo, Luke and I can look after Leonardo while you rest," she said gently. "Splinter, his temperature is down. He is out of danger now."

"You need sleep as well, Miss Karen-san."

Karen shook her head. "_I _am not recovering from a very nasty wound," she said. "And I'm used to working long shifts at the hospital. If I get too tired I'll wake one of you, I promise."

Splinter bowed his head slightly. "All right." He turned to stroke Leonardo's hand. The Turtle stirred slightly, but didn't wake.

"I'll stay wit' 'im, Sensei," growled Raphael from the doorway.

"Raphael! What are you doing up?" Karen rushed over and grabbed his arm as he swayed, supporting him as he made his way to the second bed in the room. Luke came along behind, looking a bit sheepish.

"I couldn't stop him, Mom. He wanted to see what was going on with Leonardo," he said.

"It's ok, Luke. I doubt you could have stopped him if you tried," said Karen, giving Raphael a pointed look.

The Turtle chuckled. "True enough."

"Well, there he is," said Karen, pointing to the bed where Leonardo was resting peacefully. "Now you've seen him, so lie down and _stay_ down this time."

"Ok, ok, Doc," answered Raphael with a grimace. "Whatever you say. Geesh, you fuss worse than Donny."

"I'll show you a fuss, if you get out of that bed again," grumbled Karen.

Splinter chuckled. "I believe you should listen to Miss Karen-san," Raphael," he said. He made his way to the bed. "I am glad to see you, my son."

"Me too, Sensei. How's Leo? Is he gonna be ok?"

Splinter glanced uneasily at Karen, worry for his son still showing. "I believe so. Leonardo is strong, and Miss Karen-san has given him medication to help combat this illness. Already the fever has come down. We must simply wait, Raphael."

"Well, he better not take too long," growled Raphael.

Karen turned back to the sleeping Turtle and began sponging his forehead. To her distinct relief, his skin felt much cooler under her fingertips, still warm, but far closer to normal.

"He's going to be ok," she said softly.

Splinter nodded. "He is no longer in danger. Miss Karen-san, will you prepare the injections for my sons now?"

"I'll take care of it, Splinter. Why don't you get some rest? Go. Use my room."

The Rat nodded. "Thank you, Miss Karen-san. I will rest, as soon as the boys receive the medication." He held up his hand to forestall Karen's protest. "I fear Michelangelo might be less than cooperative," he said with a wry smile. "I will go and get Donatello."

"All right. I'll keep watch over these two," Karen replied.

"What're ya talkin' about, Karen?" asked Raphael from across the room. He propped himself up on one elbow. "What injections?"

Karen touched Leonardo's forehead, reassuring herself that his fever really had broken.

"Your father's agreed that Donatello and Michelangelo should have doses of the penicillin as well," she told Raphael. "To prevent them from developing this secondary infection and spiking fevers as well. As a safety precaution."

Raphael snorted. "Good luck wit' dat," he said simply.

Karen was about to ask what he meant when she heard a faint noise behind her. She turned to see Michelangelo standing in the doorway. He'd frozen mid-stretch and was watching her with wide blue eyes. "Wait a minute, you mean you wanna stick a needle in Donny an' me, too?"

Karen nodded. "I think you and your brother should have a dose of the penicillin as well, Michelangelo, to keep you from getting any sicker," said Karen. "You've been sick, too. I don't want you developing this secondary infection and fever that's hit Raphael and Leonardo."

"I, uh… well, I feel pretty good actually," said Mike, backing up a pace. Splinter and Donatello appeared behind him, stopping his reverse exodus. Michelangelo glanced over his shoulder at his brother, turning as if he'd slide by, but Don put a hand on the wall to block him. "In fact, I feel great," Mike continued as if he hadn't noticed his brother's action. "Never better." He dodged to one side, but in a move too quick for Karen to see, Donatello's other arm shot out, shoving Michelangelo back. Don and Splinter followed Mike into the room, making a much more graceful entrance.

"You're going to have to have the shot, Mikey," Don told his younger brother firmly. "It's ok. I'm going to have one, too. Sensei, Karen, I have a theory about what's been happening."

"You mean you think you know why you all got so sick?" asked Karen.

"Well, let's hear it, Genius," grumbled Raph. "We ain't gettin' any younger here."

"Raphy! You're ok."

Karen watched, grinning, as Michelangelo launched himself across the room and practically knocked his older brother over backwards, wrapping him up in a hug.

"Get offa me, ya chuckle-head!" growled Raphael, shoving the younger Turtle away.

Michelangelo stood up with a grin. "Yep, he's fine," he said.

Splinter cleared his throat. "Donatello, please continue," he said calmly.

Don nodded. "Well, you see, Sensei, when people travel to another country, they get all kinds of shots and things because they're exposed to different viruses and bacteria. Any time a person enters a new environment, even when a kid starts school, they're exposed to new germs, pathogens their body hasn't had a chance to develop immunity to yet."

"So yer sayin' comin' ta dis dimension's like we came to a different country?" asked Raphael slowly, "An' got da Tijuana Trot?"

Donatello rolled his eyes, and Karen stifled a giggle. "Essentially, Raph, yes. That's exactly what happened."

"Duuude." Michelangelo shook his head. "Don't drink the water!"

Karen couldn't hold back her laughter. Raphael smirked.

"It would seem, my sons," said Splinter gravely, "That cross-dimensional travel has more dangers than even we had guessed before now."

He met Karen's gaze, and she saw the twinkle of laughter in his black eyes.

_Well, I'll be,_ she thought. _So he has a sense of humor after all._


	25. Chapter 25 Waiting

**_Chapter 25 ~Waiting~_**

Soon the injections were administered, with a minimum of whimpers on Michelangelo's part. Karen told him to look away and had Luke talk to him while she gave the shot. Luke engaged Mike in such a lively debate about which car was better for the last race of Gran Turismo, the Camero or the Firebird, he didn't even notice when Karen slid the needle into his bicep.

Donatello watched with interest when Karen prepared his shot. She automatically began explaining how to calculate the dosage. Don listened avidly, absorbing the information like a sponge. Michelangelo and Luke ignored them entirely, digging through the cupboards on a quest for cereal. She showed him the best way to insert the needle into the muscle. He was so intent on the demonstration, he didn't seem to notice she was injecting it into his own arm.

"I just hope this keeps you two from getting any sicker," fussed Karen as she capped the syringe.

"It should," said Don, rubbing his arm lightly where the injection'd gone in. "As long as we don't catch any nasty viruses." He caught Karen's horrified look and shook his head. "The mutation seems to make us resistant," he assured her. "At home none of us has ever had, for example, the flu."

"I hope so," said Karen fervently.

Splinter nodded approvingly, watching the proceedings. With a smile for Karen, he made his way out of the kitchen, finally seeking rest.

"Karen, why don't you get some rest as well?" suggested Don.

"I promised your father I'd look after your brothers," said Karen, shaking her head. "And I have to feed the horses. They don't know, or care, that we've been up all night."

"Can I help?" Michelangelo piped up.

Karen took one look at his pleading blue eyes and grinned. "Sure, Mike. Luke, will you help Don keep an eye on his brothers?"

"Sure thing, Mom."

Michelangelo practically bounced along behind Karen as she headed out to the barn. Blaze greeted her with an impatient whinny, Suzy with a gently reproving snort.

"I hear you," said Karen, patting Blaze's nose. "Mike, would you mind filling Suzy's hay net while I get Blaze his grain? We'll turn them out in the pasture for a while. They haven't had nearly enough exercise these past couple days."

"No problemo, Dudette," said Michelangelo. He hesitated, his hand on the door latch. "You sure she won't… bite me or anything, right?"

"Not unless you act like a carrot," teased Karen.

Michelangelo looked at her, his blue eyes going wide, before realizing she was kidding.

"Not funny!" he protested.

Karen only laughed harder. "No, Mikey, she won't bite you," she said between giggles. "I promise. Suzy's a big softy."

"Whatever," the Turtle grumbled, slipping the stall door open and fetching the hay net. "Hey!" He yelped, spinning, as the horse nibbled at the mask tail trailing down his shell.

Karen doubled over with laughter. "Oh Michelangelo."

"No eatin' the mask, horsey," grumbled Mike, dodging out of the stall.

"Are you ok?" asked Karen. She crossed the aisle and reached up to straighten his mask. Michelangelo froze for an instant, his hands twitching instinctively toward his nunchucks as her fingers brushed his head. Karen pretended not to notice. "There. She was just tasting, to see if your mask was a treat."

"It don't taste good, Dudette," muttered Mike with a rueful grin.

Karen went back to filling water buckets, still snickering. Soon they'd fed both horses and freshened the water. As soon as the animals had finished their grain, Karen produced halters from the tack room, fitting them carefully on the horses. She showed Mikey how to lead the mare and he followed her out to the pasture, where the two horses were set loose. Blaze took off, squealing and kicking up his heels, while Suzy followed at a more leisurely pace, shaking her mane out as if in disdain for the younger horse's antics.

Mike watched Blaze buck and kick his way across the field.

"Is he always so crazy?" he asked.

"Yep. It's a boy thing," said Karen with a grin. Her smile faded. "I bought him for John. I probably should have sold him after he left, but I don't know, I just never got around to it. Then last year, Luke talked me into letting him ride him." She leaned on the fence. "I was worried he'd be too much horse for Luke, but he handles him really well."

"Your ex liked horses?" Michelangelo's eyes were on the horse.

Karen nodded. "Well, I think he got into riding for my sake." She smiled. "It was one thing we could do together. But when he lost his job at the studio, and then Luke got sick…" She shrugged. "He sort of lost interest in the horses. In everything." She made a sweeping gesture with one hand. "I felt like a single mom." Suzy came trotting over and bumped Karen's shoulder with her nose. Karen laughed, and rubbed the mare's nose. "Silly old girl, I don't have any apples," she scolded. The horse snorted and turned away.

"So he just left?" Michelangelo was watching her now. Karen met his gaze for an instant before looking back across the field toward Blaze.

"Well, it was… complicated," she said softly. "A lot of things can go wrong in a marriage."

Michelangelo leaned against the fence. "Luke's a great kid," he said.

"He is." Karen smiled.

"What was wrong with him anyway?"

Karen felt the familiar tension in her shoulders and drew a deep breath, forcing herself to relax. "About six years ago, he had meningitis," she said softly. "An infection that gets into the liquid surrounding the spinal cord and the brain. We… nearly lost him. Recovery took over a year. He's fine now, but it was a very stressful time, and the disease left him susceptible to new infections."

She couldn't bring herself to speak what was in her mind.

_It could come back._

Caught up in the memory of a too-bright hospital room with dancing animals painted on the walls and quietly desperate machines beeping, she was completely unprepared for the strong arms that came around her, drawing her close in a hug. The hoodie Mike was wearing still smelled faintly of John's aftershave, a scent that never quite washed out of the fabric, and Karen relaxed instinctively into the embrace.

After a moment, Michelangelo let her go, and stepped back. "Sorry," he said quickly. "I just… you looked like you needed a hug, Dudette."

"Aw, Mike, thanks," said Karen with a genuine smile. She stepped closer and wrapped one arm around his shell, giving him a quick squeeze. "You're a real sweetie, you know that?"

"I know." He beamed, and Karen laughed.

She tucked an arm through his elbow. "Come on," she said. "We'd better see if your brothers are up to eating something."

"Sure thing, Dudette. Raphy'll want some of my famous eggs," said Mike cheerfully. "Don might not eat yet. He never does when one of us is sick."

"Well, he should at least try," said Karen. "He'll need his strength."

"Yeah, we're gonna have to take on Hun," said Mike, suddenly serious. "Sensei said we're gonna go after him as soon as Leo's better."

"You're… leaving?" Karen stopped, letting go of Mikey's arm. The morning air seemed cool all of a sudden, and she shivered.

"Well, not yet. I mean, we've gotta, Karen. You know we can't stay here, right? We gotta find a way to get back home."

Karen nodded. "I know, Michelangelo," she said, starting toward the house again. "I guess… it's just been so nice, having you guys around. It gets pretty quiet around here with just me and Luke. Splinter's been great for him. He really misses his dad sometimes."

Michelangelo jogged a bit to catch up with her. "You miss him too, huh?" he asked.

Karen stopped so suddenly he would've run into her if not for his ability to stop and change direction almost instantly.

"What makes you say that?" she asked, shock making her voice a bit stiff.

"Oh! I umm, well, I just… I don't know, the way you were lookin' at him when he stopped by before, I guess…" the Turtle fidgeted.

"It was _you_, wasn't it?" Karen faced him squarely, her hands on her hips. "You're the one he saw."

If a puppy had blue eyes, it would've looked like Michelangelo. "Umm… yeah."

"Mikey, you almost gave yourself away! How would I have explained you guys to John?" Karen scolded.

"Sorry, Dudette."

"Oh, well no harm done really, I guess," said Karen. She shook her head. "Come on, let's get you inside. You've got to be freezing out here."

Luke met Karen at the door, almost bouncing with excitement, the telephone clutched in his hand.

"It's Dad, Mom. He wants to know if I can go to the lab with him tomorrow. I can go, can't I?"

"I don't know, Luke. I mean, you've been sick…"

"Mom, I feel _fine._"

Karen nodded reluctantly. "I guess so, if you're feeling up to it."

_John's probably right, I do worry too much. Besides, it's not like he gets to spend time with John like this every day. _

"Great, thanks Mom."

Karen just gave him a wave and headed down the hall to the bedrooms.

A quick glance into her own bedroom showed Splinter sleeping soundly. In the guest room, Donatello was sitting next to Leonardo's bed, his shell propped against the wall and his head lolling forward.

"Da Genius couldn't stay awake," Raphael told Karen gruffly. "Wait a minute, Karen, I'll get 'im. Hey. Hey, Don, wake up." A pillow sailed across the room, whomping Donatello in the shoulder.

His head snapped up. Seeing the instantly-alert expression in his eyes, and the way his hand went toward the space where his bo normally would have been strapped to his shell, Karen was glad she hadn't tried to wake him herself. She was beginning to see that waking a sleeping ninja could be hazardous to one's health.

"Thanks, Raphael," she said.

"No problem." The red-banded Turtle smirked.

Karen knelt beside his brother, still cautious. "You awake, Donatello?"

"What? Yeah…" He stretched, yawning. "Sorry."

"It's ok. Listen, the air mattress is still set up in Luke's room. Go get some sleep. I'll stay with these two. Mikey and Luke got a few hours this morning, so they can help me for a while."

"Ok," said Don. "I'll just go put on a pot of coffee…"

"Donatello!" Karen laid a hand on his arm. "Listen to me. You are going to _bed._ You are not, under any circumstances, to make coffee. Go. Sleep. _Now._"

Don gave her a startled look, then a rueful grin.

"Ok, ok," he muttered. "I'm going."

Raphael snorted, but Karen ignored him, steering Don down the hall and seeing to it that he lay down before heading back to the guest room.

She leaned over Leonardo to check his temperature again, but this time he shifted under her fingers, his head turning toward her. Dark eyes flickered, blinking, and he rolled to one side, wincing slightly when he moved his injured left arm.

"_Boku… yume o miteimasu_…" (I'm dreaming) he whispered. "Who… are you?_"_

"Leo!" Raphael was off the bed and at Karen's side in a flash. She backed up a pace, allowing Leonardo a clear view of his brother. The Turtle reached automatically, and Raphael grasped his arm.

"Raph…" Leonardo's eyes slid closed. "Bro…"

"Welcome back, Fearless."

"What… happened?" Leonardo's eyes opened again, taking in the room, and widened when he spotted Karen, watching from a few paces away.

"Hey, Leonardo," she said gently. "I'm glad to see you're awake."

"Raph, what…"

"Leo, it's ok." Raphael's hand tightened on his brother's wrist. "This is Karen, remember? She's been helpin' us."

"Karen…" Leonardo spoke the name softly, as if it felt strange to him. "Mrs. Vincent." Slowly, he nodded. "I remember. But what happened? How'd I get here?" he shifted, attempting to sit up, but laid back almost immediately, stifling a groan.

"You've been very ill, Leonardo," said Karen, coming closer. "Just take it easy now, you need to rest. And so does Raphael," she added pointedly.

"Yeah, Doc, whatever you say," Raph grumbled, but he gave her a grin as he straightened, finally releasing Leo's hand, and made his way back to the other bed.

Leonardo watched his brother, and then his dark eyes flicked back to Karen's face. "Who is that, and what have you done with my brother?" he asked her seriously.

Karen stared for a full five seconds before she burst out laughing.

"You've got a lot of catching up to do, Leonardo," she teased gently. "But for now, how are you feeling?"

"Tired," he admitted with a faint grin.

"Your fever was pretty high," said Karen. She sat on the edge of the bed, ignoring his wary look. "Raphael's too. Whatever this bug was, it seemed to hit you all pretty hard."

"What about Mikey and Don?" Leonardo struggled to sit up, but Karen shook her head and he subsided.

"They're fine," she assured him. "Neither of them got as sick as you and Raphael, and they both had shots of penicillin this morning. That should ward off any further infection. Donatello thinks you boys aren't used to the germs in our dimension, that's why you got so sick."

"What about Sensei? He didn't get sick, did he?"

"No. He had the penicillin when Don and I stitched his side. He didn't get sick at all. He'll want to see you I'm sure, but right now he's sleeping."

"Let him rest," said Leo quickly. "I can see him later."

Karen smiled at his obvious concern for his father over his own health.

"Ok. How about some breakfast?" she glanced at Raphael. "You boys up for something to eat?"

"I could go fer somethin'," said Raphael, half rising. "I can get it, Karen. Ya ain't gotta wait on us."

"Lie _down_," snapped Karen. "I swear, Raphael, if you get up again, I'm going to have your brothers come in here and _sit_ on you."

"Like ta see ya try," grumbled Raph, but he lay back with an irritated sigh.

"I'll bring you something. You want eggs? Or cereal?"

"Eggs'd be good, I guess."

"I'm not really hungry, Karen," said Leonardo softly. "But maybe you could get Don to make some tea?"

"Donatello's sleeping," said Karen gently. "He was up all night, too. I'll get you some tea, ok?"

For an instant she thought Leonardo would refuse, but finally he nodded.

"Ok."

She patted his arm and got up. Before she could turn away, a green hand snaked out, catching her wrist in a surprisingly gentle grip.

She looked at Leonardo, startled.

"Mrs. Vincent…" She frowned slightly, and he blinked. "Um…Karen. I…" The teenager shook his head. "Thanks. You know… for everything."

Karen smiled. "You're going to be OK now, Leonardo. I'm just glad you're better."


	26. Chapter 26 Donatello

**_Chapter 26 ~Donatello~_**

Over the next several days, a stand off of sorts formed. On one side were Karen and Splinter, with the help of Donatello and Michelangelo. On the other were two very stubborn teenagers who wanted to get up despite dizzy spells and continuing waves of weakness that set Leonardo's limbs to trembling every time he tried in earnest to stand or walk very far.

Not long into the second day, Luke declared himself to be "Switzerland" and avoided the sick room whenever possible. Donatello, Karen soon learned, had several strikingly dirty tricks for keeping his brothers in bed, including threatening to hide Leonardo's katanas. She wasn't sure what his hold over Raphael was, but after a very heated whispered conversation, with Don glancing meaningfully over his shoulder at the Rat, who was sitting placidly in a chair Karen'd provided near Leonardo's bed, Raph subsided with only a few growls. Karen was certain Don had threatened to tell their father something if Raphael so much as thought about getting up, but she couldn't imagine what could be such a dire threat. Splinter, at least, seemed unperturbed by the sibling blackmail.

Michelangelo did his part by becoming a one-Turtle entertainment center. He brought magazines to Raphael and sat on the foot of Leonardo's bed, telling stories and jokes, which Leonardo stoically ignored for the most part.

Eventually Luke took pity on Leonardo and pulled out an old chess set. After Leonardo beat Luke soundly, Splinter offered to play. Soon Donatello joined the matches. Splinter was by far the best player, but Don nearly beat him twice with subtle strategies. After watching them play, Luke challenged Leonardo again and managed to hold his own for a very close match. Nearly all the pieces were off the board when Leonardo took Luke's queen for a second time, using a surprise move involving a rook.

"How'd you _do_ that?" asked Luke, his tone a mixture of fascination and annoyance.

"Chess is all about strategy," explained Leonardo kindly. "You've got to watch your back, and always be anticipating your enemy's next move, so you can plan how to counter-attack."

Luke nodded, staring at the board and fingering his queen.

"Can you show me how you did that?"

Leonardo smiled. "Sure."

Karen watched the family interact without comment, but she found herself smiling more and more often. Splinter's calm patience was soothing, especially when Donatello and Michelangelo got bored and started finding more boisterous ways to entertain themselves. "Sorry, Karen" was an often-heard phrase, until out of sheer desperation, she offered to teach them to ride horseback.

Donatello stood leaning on the fence, watching skeptically as Karen led the mare over to the gate. Michelangelo was practically bouncing with excitement.

"Come on, Donny, it'll be fun."

"I don't know about this, Karen."

Raphael chuckled from his perch on the top rail of the fence. He'd only been cleared that morning by both Karen and Splinter to get out of bed for more than a few hours at a time. Leonardo was chaffing, but still restricted to resting most of the day.

"Whatsa matter, Donny? Scared o' da horses?"

"I don't see _you_ hopping aboard," Donatello shot back.

"Raphael is still recovering, and I don't want him falling off," said Karen firmly. "Mike, I'm not sure how this is going to work exactly. I think you might have trouble sitting in the saddle." She looked critically at Michelangelo.

"Aww, Dudette," Mikey gave her a cocky grin. "For a second there I thought you were checking out my butt."

Karen shook her head, ignoring the snicker from Donatello. Raphael leaned forward far enough to smack Michelangelo on the back of the head. She noticed with relief that this time he didn't sway or seem to have any trouble with dizziness.

"Chucklehead," growled the red-banded Turtle.

"As admirable as I'm sure your butt is," said Karen, her lips twitching as she repressed a grin, "I'm worried that your shell might hit the seat and make it hard for you to sit in the saddle."

Raphael snorted, and Donatello had trouble containing his laughter. Michelangelo grinned, obviously enjoying the fact that he'd drawn a response from the woman with his wisecrack.

"So, how are we going to sit in the saddle?" asked Don.

"Well, I think you'll have to stand in the stirrups," answered Karen. "I can lay a blanket over the seat of the saddle, but I'm afraid it'll push you too far forward. I don't know… I mean, you manage a kitchen chair all right, don't you? This isn't _so_ different."

"I'll figure it out, Dudette," said Mikey.

"All right, Mike, but hold on a minute ok?" Karen held up a hand, afraid the young ninja might take one of the running leaps she'd seen him perform and land in the saddle like an old-west cowboy, frightening Suzy into bolting. She was no movie horse, and although she was standing placidly enough, she was eying the young mutants with curious wariness.

Karen moved to Suzy's left side, and motioned Michelangelo over. "You're going to put a foot in the stirrup like this," she told him, demonstrating. "Then swing up into the saddle." She stood in the stirrup, swinging a leg over the horse's back and landing lightly in the seat. "You don't want to land too hard, you could hurt or scare her, ok?"

"Piece of cake, dudette."

"All right, Mike, are you ready to try?"

Michelangelo nodded, reaching eagerly for the reins as Karen dismounted.

"I'll hold her, Mike," said Karen, taking the bridle. Suzy stood like a stone while Michelangelo approached. To Karen's surprise and relief, the Turtle reached out, gently patting the horse's neck, before gathering the reins in one hand.

"You an' me are gonna go for a ride, horsey," cooed Michelangelo to the horse, quietly enough so his brothers wouldn't hear. "It's ok, Girl." He slid one foot into the stirrup the way Karen had shown him, and mounted the horse as if he'd been doing it all his life. Karen smiled.

_He's certainly athletic,_ she thought. _But riding is about balance more than strength. I just hope he doesn't get too excited._

"Remember, Mike, don't pull at the reins," she reminded him. "You could hurt her mouth."

"Ok. Giddiup, horsey," said Michelangelo, jiggling the reins. Suzy shook her head and snorted, but didn't move.

"Wait a minute, Mike. You need to adjust your seat," said Karen.

"Ok. Where's the lever?" Mike leaned over, searching the side of the saddle.

"Lever?" Karen glanced at Donatello, who was doubled over in a fit of giggles.

"Like in the truck, Dudette. You know, to adjust the seat." Mike was searching the saddle skirt with his fingers, frowning.

Karen stifled her laughter.

"No, Mike, your seat is the way you're sitting on the horse," she explained, laying a hand on his knee.

Michelangelo jumped at the unexpected contact, making the horse skitter to one side. Fortunately Karen was still holding the bridle.

"Oh, knock it off, Suzy," she said to the horse, who turned her head to look at the woman and blew out a snort. "Michelangelo, you've got to straighten your leg a bit, and shift forward on the saddle. Your shoulder, hip and ankle should be in a straight line…" She nudged his leg with her palm, "And you want to keep your heels down. That way your foot can't slip through the stirrup and get stuck. See? And grip with your knees."

"I got it, Dudette." Mikey beamed, shifting so that his seat was correct. "Now, how do I get her to go?"

"You click your tongue," explained Karen, demonstrating. Suzy's ears perked, swiveling, and her head came up, but she stayed where she was thanks to Karen's hand still firmly on the bridle. "And you're going to give her a gentle squeeze with the calves of your legs. If you were on a very stubborn horse or needed to give them a strong signal, you would kick with your heels, but again, you don't want to be rough, ok?"

Mikey nodded, and Karen stepped back, releasing the bridle. "Remember to give her some slack in the reins, Mike."

"I got this. C'mon, horsey, let's show 'em how it's done."

Karen watched, her trepidation easing, as the mare moved forward. She noticed that for all his enthusiasm and bravado, Michelangelo's hands were soft on the reins and the nudge he gave the horse was gentle. Soon he had Suzy walking around the small corral, looking totally at home on the horse.

"Why don't you try a trot, Michelangelo?" she suggested. "Just give her the same 'go' signal, a click and a nudge. She knows what to do."

Michelangelo nodded, grinning widely. He moved his leg, and Suzy broke into a brisk trot.

"Whoa!" cried Mike. "She bounces! Easy, horsey…"

Raphael's raucous guffaw rang out as Michelangelo slid to one side in the saddle, losing the reins entirely and grabbing onto the saddle horn to keep from falling off. Karen started forward to intercept the mare, but Mike pulled himself back up and leaned forward, reaching for the reins, only to bash his stomach on the pommel. Karen winced, but he just picked up the reins and sat back.

_I guess having a plastron has its advantages,_ she thought, amused. Michelangelo was getting the hang of the trot, but he was clearly uncomfortable with the jolting gait.

"Nudge her again, Mike, she'll canter. It's a lot smoother," advised Karen, stifling her laughter.

"Try not ta fall off dis time, chuckle-head," called Raph.

"I didn't fall off!" protested the orange-banded Turtle, turning to glare at his brother. The effect was somewhat ruined by the fact that he was still bouncing along on the saddle, looking very insecure indeed.

With another nudge, the horse surged forward into the three-beat gait of her canter, and Mike settled back into the seat with a grin.

"This is better. Like sittin' in a rocking chair," he said as they swept past Karen.

"You're doing great, Michelangelo."

Finally Mike slowed the horse to a stop. Suzy was blowing slightly, but tossed her head in a very self-satisfied way.

"You did great, Mike. Maybe later we'll try you on Blaze," said Karen, holding the bridle once more so Mike could dismount. He leapt lightly to the ground.

"Cool. Do you think he'll let me ride him? I mean, he seemed kinda nervous before."

"I think so." Karen nodded. "He's already getting more used to you guys. We'll introduce you on the ground first, ok, and then if he seems ok, we'll try letting you ride him. He's a little faster than Suzy, and you'll have to give him more direction, but I think you can handle him."

"Awesome." Mikey beamed.

"You want to give it a try, Don?" asked Karen. The purple-banded Turtle was leaning against the fence next to Raph, watching.

"Umm, I don't know, Karen…"

"Whatsa matter, Donny? You scared?" taunted Michelangelo. "Well, I _am_ the most awesome at horses, you know. I mean, you don't win the _Battle Nexus Champion_ship by bein' scared…"

"I'm not _scared_, Mikey," grumbled Don. "I'm just not interested in getting bounced out of the saddle."

"Aww, it's ok, Don," said Mike. "Not everybody can be as awesome as I am." He beamed. "It's ok if you're scared."

"I'm not scared!" Donatello was scowling now. Putting one foot on the bottom rail, he pushed off and cleared the fence in an impressive jump, landing as lightly as any gymnast. "How do I get on, Karen?"

Grinning at the brotherly rivalry, Karen held out the stirrup. "Put your foot in here and mount. Careful not to kick her."

"No problem."

Don stuck his foot in the stirrup and gave a little jump, landing a bit awkwardly in the saddle. He fumbled for the other stirrup until Karen came to the other side to help him. She noticed that his hand was trembling slightly.

"Are you all right, Don? You don't have to do this," she said, too quietly for the others to hear.

"I'm fine."

"…Ok," she said. "Just go easy, ok? Suzy's already had a pretty good workout with your brother. You don't have to get her running."

Donatello leveled a determined look on the woman. "I can handle it, Karen."

"All right." Karen gave him an impish grin and stepped back, releasing the horse and giving her a gentle slap on the rump. "You're all set. Just click and nudge, just like I showed your brother."

Don nodded and got Suzy moving forward at a sedate pace. The stiff way he sat in the saddle told Karen he was uncomfortable, though his technique was good. After a circle around the corral, Don gave the horse another nudge and click to get her trotting. Karen saw his eyes go wide as they rounded the first bend, and she knew he was in trouble. Donatello was clinging to the saddle horn as he approached the second curve. He clicked again, and Karen saw his leg move. Suzy moved into a canter, but Don's hold on the reins made her take the wrong lead, throwing him further off-balance as her rocking-chair gait heaved him to one side in the saddle.

"Don!" Karen's cry rang out just as Donatello slid completely to one side, clinging desperately to the saddle. His grip broke free, and with a cry, he tipped from the saddle, landing with a solid _thump._

"Donny!" Michelangelo and Raphael chorused, rushing to where the fallen Turtle lay, unmoving.


	27. Chapter 27 Accusation

**A/N: A few people have told me the pacing is a little slow with this fic. I've tried to capture more of the characters than I have in past fics, and give it a "real life" feel. The action will be picking up quite soon. In this chapter, things start to bust wide open, and by chapter thirty... well I'm not supposed to give anything away, so you'll just have to tighten your seatbelts. Hopefully the drop will be worth the wait of climbing up this hill.**

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* * *

****_Chapter 27 ~Accusation~_**

Suzy slowed within a few strides to a stop, turning as if to see what on earth her rider was playing at, dismounting at a full canter that way.

Karen reached him first, kneeling next to where Donatello lay sprawled on his plastron, one arm tucked under his chest and the other flung out. To her immense relief, he stirred as she was reaching toward him. He lifted his head and spat out a bit of grass, muttering something in Japanese as he rolled over onto his shell and half-sat up.

Michelangelo, hearing what his brother said, skidded to a halt, his eyes going wide, before a nervous giggle escaped him.

"Donatello! I'm gonna tell Sensei you said that!"

"Shut up, Chuckle-head," growled Raph, swatting his brother on the back of the head.

"Donatello, are you ok?" asked Karen, checking his head for bumps.

"I'm fine, Karen. Sorry." He was turning an odd shade of mottled red again, and Karen realized he was blushing.

"Don, it's ok. Everyone falls off now and then, even people who've been riding for years…"

"What? Oh, that. Is Suzy ok?"

"She's fine." Karen nodded. "Are you hurt?"

"Only my pride."

As soon as Karen was sure he was ok, she got to her feet and walked over to where the mare was watching calmly, doing her best to munch a mouthful of grass despite the bit still in her mouth. Karen caught the horse and led her back to where the Turtles were standing.

Don was getting to his feet, grimacing. "I've got mud under my shell," he complained.

"You'd better wash it out with _soap,_ Donny," crowed Michelangelo. "An' your mouth, too!"

To Karen's surprise, Don's brown eyes darted to her face, and away again, and his blush deepened.

"Mikey, quit teasing your brother," she scolded. She laid a hand on Don's shoulder. "Everybody falls sometimes."

"Yeah, but not everybody knows as many words as Donny," replied Michelangelo, still grinning.

"Shut _up_, Mikey," growled Don, glaring.

Understanding dawned on Karen, and she laughed. "Don't worry, Donatello. I won't tell your dad what you said."

He looked at her shock showing clearly. Karen laughed harder. "I didn't even understand," she told him. "Don't worry. You didn't offend me."

"Sensei says we ain't supposed ta swear in front of a lady," supplied Raph with a smirk. "Even in Japanese."

Karen guffawed. "Well I'll tell you what. I won't say a word to Splinter if you promise not to teach Luke any words he shouldn't know, deal?"

"Deal." Don smiled a bit sheepishly.

Michelangelo went very quiet suddenly, and Karen noticed _he_ was blushing now.

"Oh, no, Mikey, you didn't…"

"Ummm… sorry, Karen."

Raphael laughed and smacked Mikey on the back of the head. "Nice goin', Chucklehead."

"Oh for…" Karen shook her head, but she couldn't hide her grin. "You _owe_ me one, Michelangelo Hamato!" she scolded. "Imagine, teaching my son such language."

"Aww, it wasn't nothin' bad, Karen. I mean, technically it's a swear, but it's not a _bad_ swear…" Blue eyes met hers, pleading. "You're not gonna tell Sensei, are you?"

Karen couldn't hold back a laugh. "No, Mikey, I'm not going to tattle on you, as long as you come help me get Suzy put away, all right? You can brush her."

"Ok, Dudette." Mike's cocky grin was back full-force.

"Do you need help, Karen?" asked Don.

"No, Mike and I can handle it," she replied easily. "Why don't you go inside and get cleaned up? You've got sod," she said, brushing a wad of grass and dirt off the lip of his shell.

"What? Oh." Don twisted around, craning his neck to see.

"I'll help ya get it off, Genius," said Raphael, still smirking.

"Thanks, Bro."

The pair headed inside, while Michelangelo walked along beside Karen toward the barn. They heard the car's engine long before it came into view. With a glance at Karen, and a nod, Michelangelo disappeared into the barn.

Karen followed sedately, leading Suzy into her stall and slipping the bridle off. She saw a movement in the shadows and smiled.

"Mike, I'm heading inside to see who's here, ok? Would you take off the saddle? Just undo the cinch. You can brush her, too, if you don't mind. I'll make sure whoever it is doesn't come out here. It's probably just John bringing Luke home."

"No problem." The orange-banded Turtle materialized out of a dark corner.

Karen blinked, even though she'd been looking right at him. The boys' ability to conceal themselves was nothing less than uncanny. She handed him the tack box and left him humming happily, brushing the mare's neck and shoulders.

Karen headed into the house, crossing the yard with long strides. She found Luke in the living room, exclaiming excitedly to his father, who was nodding with a cat-with-cream smile.

"Mom! Mom, Dad's lab is _amazing_," Luke said as Karen came into the room. "You should see it. They have a field generator, and these magnets… they have to be insulated when they're not using them, 'cause if a piece of metal gets stuck on 'em, they can't get it off again…"

"Whoa, Luke, slow down," said Karen, laughing. "There'll be time to tell me all about it later. Why don't you go ahead and get cleaned up? I'll start dinner soon."

"You betcha, Mom. Bye, Dad. Thanks!"

"No problem, Luke. It was nice to spend the time with you, Son." John's smile was indulgent and more relaxed than Karen had seen in a while.

She watched as Luke left the room, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Sounds like he had a good time." She turned to her ex with a smile.

"He's a smart kid," said John. "I couldn't believe some of the questions he asked. He wanted to know about the particle stream from the stasis field generator, can you imagine? And the frequencies… I had no idea he knew so much about engineering and physics."

Karen just smiled. _He doesn't, but I know someone who does. I bet Donatello coached Luke on what to ask_, she thought.

"Sounds like you guys had a good time," she said.

"It was great," said John. He met her eyes. "I didn't realize… He's growing up so fast."

"He is," she agreed quietly.

"Listen, Karen," John hesitated. "Things are… a little… complicated right now, but… I'd like to spend more time with Luke. Would you mind if… if I invited him to go camping or something? I was thinking about taking a week, up in the mountains, just him and me. I thought maybe we could take the horses. That is, if you wouldn't mind."

Karen hid her shock. "Umm, well I'll have to think about it, John. Are you sure you're up to an overnight on _horseback_? I mean, it's pretty demanding…"

"I've been working out," said John. "A… guy I've been working with… an outside project, actually. This guy's a consultant, and he's in town temporarily. Anyway, he's big on physical fitness. He gave me a few pointers, and I've been spending some time at the gym."

"Really?" Karen's eyebrows rose, but observing her ex husband more carefully, she could see a new definition to his biceps.

"Yeah. I've been working out for over a month, but his tips really amped up my routine," said John with a slight grimace. "He's a little gung-ho… I mean, the guy is _ripped_, Karen. But there's no doubt his techniques are effective." He flexed an arm with a self-depreciating smile.

"I can see the change," said Karen.

John shot her a startled look. "Really?"

"Yes. I'm… proud of you." She gave him a smile.

The man just nodded, but returned her smile. "Well, I'd better get going," he said. "I'll call you about that camping trip, ok?"

"Ok."

"Just promise me you'll give it a fair consideration, ok, Karen?"

"All right, John."

He nodded and turned for the door. Karen watched him go.

_Camping? What's next? I guess I'm glad he wants to spend more time with Luke, but I don't know about letting him spend a week in the woods, let alone allowing them to take the horses…_

Her thoughts were interrupted by raised voices from Luke's room.

"Donatello, my dad is not a criminal! How can you say something like that?"

Karen rushed down the hall in time to nearly crash into Luke as he stormed out of his father's former office.

"Luke," Donatello was standing up, coming toward the door. "I didn't mean to imply that your father did anything wrong on purpose…"

"No, just that he preformed an illegal experiment!"

"I don't know that it was your dad who was involved!" Don was frowning now, looking annoyed. Luke glared daggers at the purple-banded Turtle. Turning, he faced Karen.

"Do you know what he _said_?" he yelled. "Donatello said Dad's a criminal!"

"That's not what I _meant_, Luke," Don retorted.

"What on earth is going on here?" Karen asked, looking from one to the other. "Donatello, what are you talking about?"

"Karen, I was just explaining to Luke, I've been doing some research," the Turtle said. "I'd… rather not go into all this until the others are here."

"Tell her, Donatello! Tell her what you said about my dad!" Luke shouted. He was flushing with fury.

"Luke, please calm down," Don said, sounding irritated. "You're getting upset over nothing…"

"What exactly is this all about?" asked Karen.

The Turtle's brown-eyed gaze turned to the woman. He shook his head. "It's nothing, Karen, honestly. I found some things that suggest that your ex-husband might have had something to do with the… _incident_ that brought us here. I have a theory…"

"You _said_ what he did was _illegal_," seethed Luke. "You _said_ he could get _arrested."_

"Is this true, Don?"

Donatello avoided Karen's direct gaze for a moment before drawing himself up and looking into her face with a shade of defiance.

"Yes. _If_ John was involved, it's quite likely that he's mixed up in some illegal activity. The technology involved… Karen, there's no way this stuff is declassified. He could be in real trouble."

"So, you're accusing my ex-husband of criminal activity? Without even knowing whether the… _incident_… stemmed from his lab?" Karen could feel her hands shaking, and clenched them to stop the trembling.

Donatello's gaze flicked from her to Luke and back again. "Listen, Karen, I didn't mean…"

"What seems to be the problem?" Leonardo's voice startled Karen so badly she whirled to face him. He was watching her with narrowed eyes, and she realized she'd raised her fists automatically.

Taking a deep breath, she relaxed, lowering and unclenching her hands deliberately.

"The _problem_ is your brother making accusations without having all the facts," said Karen.

Luke made a disgusted noise and stalked off down the hall toward his room, closing his door shut with a _snap_. Leonardo twitched, as if he'd follow, but Karen moved to block the hall, planting herself firmly between the Turtles and Luke's door.

"I'll talk to him," she said. "But first, I want to know what this is all about."


	28. Chapter 28 Discoveries

**_Chapter 28 ~Discoveries~_**

Karen listened with a growing sense of unreality as Donatello laid out what he'd found to the little group gathered in the living room. Splinter perched calmly on an armchair, while Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo took up the couch. Don sat on the small loveseat alone. Karen had fetched a chair from the kitchen. She was sitting with her arms crossed across her stomach, listening as Donatello laid out, in unemotional clinical terms, what he'd found by using her Internet connection to hack into the Santino Labs system.

"So, you used _my_ ISP to _illegally_ hack into the Lab's system?" she snapped.

"Oh… Umm, don't worry, Karen. It can't be traced back here," said Don. He shifted uneasily under the woman's glare. "Seriously. I used, like three different remote bots. There's no way anyone can connect it back to you."

"You know about computers?" asked Karen, worry and anger still tingeing her words. _How?_

"Donny knows _everything_ about computers, Karen," said Leo quietly. "And he's had a lot of experience with this kind of thing. If he says it can't be traced, then believe me, it _can't._"

Karen started to protest, but Splinter held up his hand, stopping the diatribe that was building with her frustration and fear.

"Miss Karen-san," he intoned gravely. "Donatello built his first computer from parts we retrieved on a scavenging trip at the age of twelve. Since then he has equipped our home with access to the internet, a complete security and surveillance system, and communications devices which are completely independent of any outside agency. Furthermore, he is _ninja._ His word is his bond."

"So basically you're telling me I have your word of honor that you're sure no one can trace your hack back to my computer system?" she asked, her gaze landing once more on Donatello. He met her look steadily this time.

"Yes."

Karen blew out a frustrated snort. "All right," she said. "But I still don't understand what you think Santino has to do with any of this. Or John, for that matter. He's a computer expert, not an astro-physicist. They hired him for his animation ability, to project scenarios in CGI for presentations to the board and stockholders. Basically he creates presentations, like ad copy. What makes you think he's mixed up in some crazy experiment?"

"I didn't, at first," said Don grimly. "The only connection is _us._ He's an animator, Karen…"

Seeing her skeptical look, Don shook his head. "Let me start at the beginning. First, I searched for any natural anomalies. Solar flares, novas, anything that might conceivably have caused a disturbance of the magnitude it would've taken to open an interdimensional portal."

_He's crazy. He's crazy, and this is all some insane dream and I'm going to wake up at any moment._ Karen shook her head, bewildered by the Turtle's explanation.

"There was nothing," Don continued. "Nothing except… a local weather service reported what might've been a micro-burst, _in the vicinity of Santino_," He looked at her intensely, emphasizing the words. "But it was unconfirmed. There was some damage to the building, but nothing worse than a broken window and some damage to a tree outside. The weather service put it down to unusual weather activity and that was that. But the date, right down to the time, matched our arrival. It was too strong a coincidence to ignore."

"So, you're saying a mini-tornado brought you here?" Karen shook her head.

"No. I'm saying it was _reported_ as a weather incident," said Don calmly. "They had a window blown out, and had to explain somehow. Apparently there was enough force involved to knock a few branches off a tree near the building."

"Ok, so how does this… weather incident relate to your arrival?" asked Karen.

"Well, for one thing, the sky was absolutely clear that night," explained Don, settling into the love seat. "The chances of a micro-burst occurring in those kind of weather conditions are almost nil. Cold air just doesn't support tornadoes, not even tiny ones. There needs to be a proportionate mix of warm and cold air, and the barometric pressure needs to fluctuate…"

"Ok, ok," Karen held up her hand to cut off the lecture she could hear building in his tone. "So there was a burst of… activity… whatever, at Santino that night. I'll buy that. But what does this have to do with John?"

"I checked the personnel records for that night," said Don evenly. "I'm sorry, Karen. I know this is hard to accept, but…" He sighed, glancing at his eldest brother, as if seeking support.

"Santino uses an electronic key system. Employees have a unique code-card that allows them access to the building and records exactly who is in the building. Aside from security and maintenance staff, John was one of only three workers logged in that night."

"Well, that doesn't prove he was there when... whatever happened," said Karen.

"Well, whether or not he's involved, the evidence is pointing pretty strongly toward Santino Labs," said Don. "And Karen, there's something else. I've been going through the files. Some of the tech…" He swallowed hard, glancing at Leonardo again. "Some of it looks… familiar."

"What do you mean?"

"There were some schematics for their ongoing research. Plans for future projects. A refined version of a laser that could be used for military purposes. A device that uses sound waves to break concrete and steel… and Karen, some of them looked a lot like tech we've seen… we've _fought_. If I didn't know better, I'd swear Baxter Stockman designed some of this stuff. He's employed by the Foot Clan… the same group Hun works for."

A chill was working its way up from her stomach, snaking in tendrils up through Karen's chest.

John's words echoed in her memory._ "…an outside project, actually. This guy's a consultant, and he's in town temporarily…" _

"It's… it's impossible," she whispered.

"I'm really sorry, Karen," said Don.

"We're going to have to check it out." Leonardo stood up, pacing across the room. "Donny, can we get into this place, scope things out?"

"It won't be easy, Leo," replied Donatello, looking away from Karen reluctantly. "The place is locked up like Fort Knox…"

"Wait, you're thinking of _breaking in_ to the lab?" Karen's voice rose.

"Scouting," said Leonardo succinctly. "To find out if the scientists in this place had something to do with our being transported to this dimension, and to find out if there's a way for us to get home again."

"Leonardo, do you _realize_ what you're proposing?" asked Karen. She got to her feet and paced away a few steps, her movements jerky with tension. "You're _mutants_, walking into a high-security facility full of scientists. What if they catch you? You represent not only the find of the century, biologically speaking, but as a bonus, you're from another _dimension_. You'd end up locked in some government lab, in a cage…" She trailed off, turning, and coming face-to-face with the young leader.

"Karen," his voice was quiet, but there was a hard edge of maturity that spoke of experience well beyond his sixteen years. "Do you really think we don't _know_?"

She stared at him for a long moment before turning away. "You can't go."

"We have to."

"Leo, you _can't._ You'd be hurt, or even killed…"

"Miss Karen-san." Splinter stood up, coming over. He reached up, just brushing his claws against Leonardo's plastron. The Turtle looked at his father, gave him a brief nod, and turned away, motioning to his brothers. They filed out of the room.

"Miss Karen-san," said Splinter again, facing the woman directly. "I fear my sons must face this danger. If you are disturbed by our intentions, perhaps it would be best if we leave your home now."

Karen hesitated. Splinter simply stood, waiting.

"No. No, Splinter, I don't want you to leave," she said, shaking her head. "It's not safe. Where would you go? No, you should stay here. But you must see that this plan, it's crazy! You can't let them go in there, Splinter…"

"Miss Karen-san, my sons are not helpless children," said Splinter gently. "They are growing up, and although I do not always deem their plans wise, I have taught them well and I trust them to take only those risks which are worthwhile."

"You're willing to risk them being captured and locked away and studied?" she snapped, tears stinging her eyes.

"My sons and I have lived with this danger for many years," replied Splinter quietly. "At any time we could have been discovered. We are prepared to face the possibility. There is no dishonor in death, Miss Karen-san, only in a life not fully lived."

Karen felt as though her heart were being crushed. She had trouble drawing a deep breath.

"John can't have done this. He _can't_ be mixed up in this." Even to her own ears, her voice sounded small.

Splinter moved his head, conceding nothing.

"He _can't_ be. Luke adores him," she argued, though the Rat had not spoken. "Donatello's wrong. That's all there is to it. He's wrong. And this plan… it's crazy, pure and simple. Splinter, you cannot condone it. You can't let them…"

Splinter's onyx eyes flashed.

"My sons will go, Miss Karen-san. I have taught them, provided them with the skills they need. They have gained experience, earned my trust. Am I to keep them hidden below the ground, forever, for fear of something that might never happen?"

"What if it _does_ happen, Splinter?" Karen knew she was overstepping her boundaries, but the fear and fury were boiling in her chest, driving the words forth. "Leonardo's arm is still healing. Surely Raphael isn't up to his full strength yet… What if they go ahead with this ill-conceived plan, and one of them _does _get caught, or hurt, what then? What if you lose him?" The last was torn forth as if of its own accord.

Splinter met her eyes steadily. "Death comes to us all, Miss Karen-san," he replied calmly. The only outward sign of emotion was the slight glint of anger in his eyes. "Perhaps we may speak again in the morning, when we are both calm."

Karen wanted to shout, to rant, to tell him how wrong he was, to _shake_ him, but something about the finality of his words stopped her. She straightened, hugging her arms across her chest, and turned away.

Without another word, Splinter tapped his way out of the room, leaving her alone with her dark thoughts.


	29. Chapter 29 Plans

**_Chapter 29 ~Plans~_**

The musty smell that rushed forth when Karen opened the small door to the attic washed over her, comforting and bitingly cold at the same time. She shivered, crawling into the room, but purpose drove her forward until her fingers found a small plastic box. Edging backward, she climbed out of the cramped space and closed the door against the cold air that wanted to rush out of the space and swirl around in the warmth of the upstairs hall.

She carried the box down to her bedroom, and laid it on the bed. She sat for a long time, her hand on the lid, staring at the wall, her thoughts tumbling over in her mind, crashing and shattering like rocks in a blender. Mentally replaying the conversation with Splinter did nothing more than give her a pounding headache. Glancing down at the box under her hand, she lifted the lid and set it aside. Luke smiled up at her from the pictures. Sitting on his father's shoulders, riding tall and beaming with pride… Sliding into home plate… She picked the photo up, fingering it.

_He was so proud of that baseball mitt,_ she thought. _But then he got sick… John wanted him to play again when he recovered, but he just wasn't strong enough. I couldn't let him go back into sports too soon, the doctor said he could have a relapse._

She set the photo aside, lifting others out of the box.

A much-younger Luke astride Suzy, with John holding the bridle, a proud smile on his face. Luke and John tossing a ball in the yard. Luke blowing out candles on a cake sporting a cartoon version of him done in frosting. Karen smiled.

_It took John almost two hours to draw that cartoon of Luke,_ she thought. _And five minutes for the boys to demolish the cake._ _That illness took so much from him. The friends in this picture moved on and faded out of his life. He was just so tired after his illness, he couldn't even gather the strength to go out and play. They got bored with waiting for him to be finished being sick. Even his father got tired of waiting for our lives to be normal again._

Flipping through the photos, Karen came upon one that made her breathing hitch. Her own face smiled up from the photograph, her eyes sparkling, her expression alight with joy. John stood behind her, beaming proudly over her shoulder.

_Were we ever this young?_ Karen wondered, staring at the photo. _Were we ever this _happy? _We were a team then the three of us… always looking for adventure. I remember when this was taken. It was that kayaking trip we took on the Colorado River… Luke was so proud to ride double with his dad. And now I worry over sending him camping for a few days close to home._

She shook her head, and tucked the picture back into the box. She lingered a moment before closing the lid.

_I remember how I felt that day… so alive, as if we could conquer the world, as long as we were together. Maybe John's right_, she thought. _I am overprotective of Luke. What was that Splinter said? Death comes to us all? But how do you face it? How do you stare it in the face and still choose to go on? How do you live with knowing it could happen at any time?_

She closed the box with a _snap_, shutting away the haunting memory of Luke's pale face, the way he lay listlessly on a snow-white hospital bed sheet.

_Mommy, when can I get up? I want to go out and play… _But he was far too weak, then, to get out of bed, let alone go outside.

_Soon, dearest. As soon as you're well again…_

Karen paused for a long moment, then opened the box again and slipped two pictures out. Setting them aside, she put the box on the top shelf of her closet, closed the door, and went to bed.

Morning came, it seemed to Karen, far too early. She rolled over in bed, wincing at the familiar dull ache that spread across her forehead.

_What did John and I argue about?_ She wondered vaguely. _But I don't remember arguing with him…_ _Oh. Splinter. Right._

She sat up, fumbling the nightstand drawer open to find the small bottle of aspirin she kept there. To her chagrin, the bottle was empty. Swearing under her breath, she got up and made her way to the bathroom down the hall. A second bottle provided the relief she needed in the form of two small white tablets. Shaking them into her hand, she replaced the bottle and headed toward the kitchen. The room was oddly quiet and still. Karen realized with a start that she'd gotten used to waking up to the sounds of five mutant house-guests preparing tea, coffee and breakfast in the mornings. It had been a long time since her household had been so full of life.

_Our lives have been on hold,_ she thought. _Waiting to start again._

Karen looked around the kitchen, taking in the small signs that meant someone lived there. A mug in the sink, probably Leo having a late-night cup of tea. A bit of coffee ground showing brown under the edge of the breadbox, just a spot Donatello missed when he'd cleaned up. A piece of sugary cereal stuck to the edge of the sink, a sure sign Michelangelo had been there. Luke's plate still lodged haphazardly in the drying rack. Some yellow crumbs Karen suspected were the remnants of Raphael's Doritos.

Smiling faintly to herself, Karen put the water on to boil for tea. After only a moment's hesitation she grabbed the coffee and filters from the cupboard and filled the pot, knowing Donatello wouldn't be functional before his first cup. She set out three cups for tea, placing the green tea bags she knew Leo and Splinter preferred in two of them and her more familiar black tea in the third, before getting out the eggs, cream cheese, peanut butter, honey and bread.

By the time Donatello stumbled into the kitchen mumbling a sleepy 'good morning', Karen had a stack of French toast on a plate and was preparing to fry more of the golden-dipped sandwiches. She slid a steaming mug and a plate in front of him.

"Wow, Karen what is this?" asked Don around a forkful.

Karen grinned. "Fancy French toast, my specialty," she told him. "The filling is cream cheese mixed with a dab of honey, and peanut butter."

"It's amazing."

"Aww thanks. You're sweet."

"I hope you didn't go to too much trouble," said Don. His eyes were brighter now that he was nursing his coffee.

"It's no trouble really," said Karen, glancing at him. "Anyway, it's sort of a peace offering for your father."

"Oh?"

Karen sighed. "I told him he couldn't let you boys go into the lab," she said quietly. "It's dangerous."

"Karen…"

She held up a hand to stop him. "I know. You're ninjas. You're fighters. You can take care of yourselves. I get it."

"Well, yeah. And it's not like we've never done anything like this before," said Donatello. "We'll be careful, Karen, I promise."

She laughed, a short, choked sound. "Sure, careful. Don, have you considered that the security guards carry _guns_?"

"Yes."

"And the scientists…"

"We know."

"How can you sound so _calm?_ Don't you understand what you're walking _into_?" she asked, whirling to face him.

Donatello sighed. "Yes, I do. Believe me, I don't like it any more than you do. But Karen, you must realize we can't _stay_ here. This isn't our home, isn't where we _belong._ Santino Labs might hold our only chance to get back. We _have_ to take the risk. Sensei knows that, and believe me he wouldn't send us in if he didn't think we could handle it."

"Wait, _send_ you in? You mean he won't go with you?" Karen stared.

"He doesn't usually, unless he thinks we'll need him," said Don. "Karen, we can _handle_ it. We'll be ok. Really."

She turned back to the stove. "I guess I have no choice but to trust you to do what you have to do," she said.

"Indeed, Miss Karen-san."

The woman was so startled she nearly knocked the pan off the stove. Reflexively she moved to stop it falling.

"Ow!" Karen swore loudly, clutching her burnt wrist.

"Miss Karen-san!" Splinter caught her hand. He took one look at the already-reddened patch of skin and led her firmly to the sink, running cool water over the burn. "Do you have any aloe?" he asked.

"I… I think so." Karen fought back tears of pain. "I can't believe I did that."

"I am sorry, Miss Karen-san," said Splinter. "I did not mean to startle you."

"It wasn't your fault, Splinter," murmured Karen.

"I've got the aloe, Sensei," said Don.

Splinter led Karen to the table, insisting she sit down so that he could tend to her hand. His fingers were gentle and deft as he smoothed the healing gel over the burn and applied a gauze wrap.

"Splinter?" Karen spoke softly. "About last night…"

"Yes, Miss Karen-san?" His whiskers twitched slightly.

"I… I owe you an apology," she said softly. His dark eyes met hers, waiting. Karen drew a deep, shaky breath. "I… still think it's dangerous for the boys to go the lab. But if you say they can do this…"

"I do."

"I won't try to stop you. In fact, I'll help you if I can." Karen met his eyes. "It's the least I can do. I promised to help you find your way home again. I'll do whatever I can."

"_Doomo arigatoo,_ Miss Karen-san. Thank you very much," said Splinter. He finished tucking the wrap in.

Karen flexed her wrist, and gave him a smile. "It feels better already," she said. "Thank you. _Do…_ how did you say that? _Doomo ari… ari…_"

"_Doomo arigatoo_," repeated Splinter, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"_Doomo arigatoo_ then," said Karen, grinning. Suddenly her smile faded. "Oh, no, the pan!" She jumped up, rushing to the stove, but to her relief, the pan was pushed to one side and the burner shut off.

"I took care of it, Karen," said Don, crossing the kitchen to put his plate in the sink.

"Thank you," said Karen. "It would have been a shame to burn the French toast."

"Did somebody say breakfast?" Michelangelo practically bounced into the room.

Karen laughed. "You got it, Mikey," she told him. "One order of fancy French toast, coming up."

"Awesome. You're the best, Dudette."

Karen heard Splinter's quiet chuckle, and smiled, knowing things were all right between them again.

_If only John and I had learned to work things out before it was too late._

"When will you make your attempt?" she asked, shaking off her regrets and forcing her voice into a light tone.

"As soon as possible," said Splinter. "We would prefer to move after dark, when there are fewer people in the facility."

A slight frown creased Karen's brow. "John said something about security being tightened at night," she said slowly. "I know he said the armed guards work the night shift. I could ask him…"

"No, Miss Karen-san." Splinter shook his head. "It would draw unnecessary suspicion on your family if it became known you were asking questions of that nature. I would prefer not to involve you if at all possible."

"I _am_ involved," said Karen, bringing a mug of tea to the table and setting it in front of the Rat. "I'm sitting here discussing a plan for breaking into a high-security laboratory with you."

"We do not wish to cause your family further trouble," said Splinter. He sipped his tea. "Do not worry, Miss Karen-san. Donatello will gather the information my sons need. They are used to moving in the darkness."

"All right. I suppose you know what you're doing," said Karen. "I just wish you'd let me try to find out more before you go in there. The entire thing makes me uneasy."

"I as well, Miss Karen-san," said Splinter. "But we must face our fears to reach our goal."

Karen sat at the table, and took a pensive sip of her tea. "There's no sense in taking more risks than you need to," she said. "Why don't I talk to Luke? Maybe he can give you more information… the layout of the lab, things like that."

Splinter cleared his throat delicately. "I believe Luke-kun is still angry with us," he said. "He may not wish to be… cooperative."

"I'll talk to him," said Karen. She glanced at the Rat. "He loves his father."

Splinter nodded. "As all fathers care for their sons," he said softly. "I believe sons also care for their fathers."


	30. Chapter 30 Look Out

**_Chapter 30 ~Look Out~_**

Karen sat in the truck, resting her forehead against the steering wheel.

_How did this day start out so well, then go so horribly wrong?_ she thought, not for the first time.

Luke, to say the least, had been uncooperative. Karen's attempts to explain what Don had found had been received with increasing sullen tension, until Luke exploded.

"You're taking _their_ side, aren't you? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You never did believe Dad is a good guy, did you? You never believed _anything_ good about him!"

"Luke…"

"No, Mom. I don't want to talk about this anymore!"

Karen had retreated in defeat. When Luke eventually came out of his room, she refrained from speaking. Leonardo tried talking to him, neutrally asking how the day with his father had gone, guiding the questions to discover more about the layout of the building, but Luke refused to answer. He glared at the mutant, suspicious.

"Is this about me, Leo, or is it about _strategy_? You're just trying to figure out more stuff about my dad, aren't you?"

Karen saw at once that Leo was in trouble. The young ninja wasn't practiced in the art of lying. Luke could see it too. His eyes narrowed. Standing up, he shot his mother one more withering glare before standing up and stomping back into his room.

"It was a good try, Leo," was all Karen could say.

The day hadn't gotten much better from there. Luke refused to come out of his room or let anyone else in, even Michelangelo. The entire family had been dubbed "the enemy". Finally he came out, only long enough to fetch the telephone. When he emerged again, he announced that he'd decided to spend a few days with his father and that John would be picking him up in an hour.

Karen stared at him, shocked, and opened her mouth to refuse, but Splinter stood up, approaching the boy purposefully. She watched with a mixture of anxiety and amazement as the Rat stood in front of Luke, his hands clasped in front of him.

"I must request, Luke-kun, that you honor our agreement, and remember that you have promised to tell no one of our presence," said Splinter calmly.

Luke hesitated for a moment, defiance and determination warring in his eyes. Finally he gave a short nod.

"I'll keep my promise," he said.

Splinter nodded. "Thank you, Luke," he said, giving the boy a short bow before turning and moving away.

Karen motioned to Splinter, and to her relief, he followed her without comment out to the kitchen.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked. "Splinter, I don't usually stop Luke from going to his dad's, but I'm sure I can come up with an excuse…"

Splinter shook his head. "I believe he will keep his word, Miss Karen-san. Unless you believe we should not trust his promise?" One eyebrow rose slightly.

Karen hesitated. "No, you're right. Luke gave his word. He's upset just now, but he's always kept his promises. I've just… never asked him to keep anything from his father before."

"I understand your misgivings, Miss Karen-san," said Splinter quietly. "But I have found that often children meet our expectations of them. If you expect Luke to be trustworthy, he is more likely to be so."

Karen nodded slowly. "It's your call, Splinter," she said. "It's your secret he's keeping."

Sitting in the truck hours later, Karen wondered again if she'd made the right choice. John had arrived, looking confused as Luke carried his knapsack out to the car without so much as a good bye to his mother, but he didn't pester Karen for answers. An hour later, Donatello emerged from the office and called a family meeting. The mutants gathered around the kitchen table. Karen sat, watching uneasily as Don drew the floor plan out, pointing out the optimal entry point, and tracing the route he proposed to take into the lab. The entire enterprise seemed unreal to Karen. She'd wandered aimlessly around the house, her mind consumed with Luke's words.

_You never believe anything good about Dad… _

The mutant family provided few distractions from her thoughts. Leonardo and Raphael had gone outside to practice sparring. Leo'd found that by wrapping his healing arm tightly, he was able to hold his katana. He couldn't wield it with his usual strength, but his movements, at least to Karen's eyes, were precise and deadly. Watching from the window, she began to see why Splinter trusted the boys' skills.

Donatello was ensconced once more in the office, re-visiting his research and combing through the files to familiarize himself with the technology. He got very excited about one set of files in particular.

"It could be what we're searching for, Karen," he explained excitedly when she went in to check on him. "Theoretically, the subatomic vibrations set up by this unit could cause matter to fluctuate fast enough at the molecular level to create a jump in the space/time continuum…"

Karen nodded, smiling, as he launched into a narrative involving words she barely understood. Now, hours later, she understood Donatello's genius, if not his explanation of the technology they were here to find.

She'd driven the terrapin brothers to the Lab, parking in the lower lot, in an unlit corner, on the theory that a vehicle parked in the lot as if it belonged there would draw far less unwanted attention than if it were parked alongside the road near the facility. Leonardo gave a few quiet last-minute orders to his brothers, and they'd moved off into the darkness, leaving Karen to act as get-away driver.

"If anything goes wrong… if you hear alarms, or see any kind of ruckus, get out, Karen. Drive back to your place and tell Splinter, ok?" Leonardo's dark eyes burned into hers.

"I won't leave you, Leo," she said firmly.

"Karen, you won't be able to help us if we run into trouble in there," he replied. "But our father can. Please."

She nodded reluctantly. "All right."

That had been over an hour ago. Karen checked her watch again and resisted the urge to dial the number Donatello'd programmed into her cel phone to reach them. He'd warned her against calling unless it was incredibly urgent, say if the military converged on the building, or if a security guard approached her. Checking up on them did not fall into the "urgent" category.

She scanned the parking lot again. No new cars had entered the lot. It was the middle of a shift; there was no reason for anyone to be coming or going. A sedan pulled into the driveway. Karen watched idly, wondering who would be coming in to work this late, and realized with a start that she knew the car. _John._ She watched, chills running down her back as her ex husband's car pulled into the lot. He parked near the building. Under the pool of lamplight, Karen could see the man clearly as he climbed out of the car. Her breath caught in her throat. A mountain of a man emerged from the car, the light glinting off his long stringy blond ponytail. As he turned, Karen saw what might have been a dragon snaking up his left arm.

Fumbling, she grabbed the cel and punched the button to dial Donatello's cel.

"What is it, Karen?"

"Donatello, that man, Hun, he just showed up in John's car."

"Ok. Thanks for letting us know."

"Are you guys ok?" Karen asked quickly, but he'd already broken the connection. She waited until she heard the distinct _click_ of the line closing before she punched the 'end' button with slightly more force than necessary.

She was about to dial again, to call her ex-husband to see if he knew a fictional villain was using his vehicle, when the phone vibrated in her hand. She let out a startled yelp and dropped the phone, before scrambling to answer.

"Hello?" her voice was sharper than she'd intended.

"Miss Karen-san?"

"Splinter! Hun just arrived at the lab, in John's car. I've got to call him and make sure he and Luke are all right, then I think I'd better come get you. The boys might need help…"

"Miss Karen-san, you must listen to me. Your husband is unharmed. He is here, with your son. You must come home at once."

"Are you all right? He didn't see you did he? Luke didn't…" Unexpected tears stung her eyes at the thought of Luke breaking his promise.

"No, Miss Karen-san. Luke kept his word. However, I felt it necessary to reveal myself to your husband. Please come. We must all talk, and if Hun is there I fear there is little time."

"I'll be right there."

Karen drove like a madwoman, praying no deer would stroll out in front of the truck and that Pete Darlee was safely tucked up in bed, and not out patrolling with his sharp eyes and radar gun. The truck tires raised a cloud of dust as she swerved into her own driveway. She leapt down from the cab and dashed into the house, panting.

"Luke? Splinter? John?"

"We are here, Miss Karen-san."

Karen turned, breathing out a prayer of thanks when she spotted her ex husband standing tensely next to Luke, who sat in an armchair. The Rat was perched calmly on the couch.

"Karen!" John crossed the space between them and wrapped her up in a crushing embrace. "You're all right. Thank _God_ you're all right…"

"Just what is going on here, John?" Karen put both hands on his chest, pushing back so he had to release her. "What is that man doing with your car? Are you involved in all this?"

"It was Dad, Mom." Luke's voice was heavy, hoarse. Karen moved around John to go to him. His eyes were red-rimmed, his jaw set in stubborn determination.

"Now, Luke…"

"No, Dad! Tell her. Go ahead and _tell_ her what you did! They're here, and they're in _trouble_, and it's_ your fault!_"

"John, what's going on?" Karen turned to face her ex husband, a frown creasing her brow. She kept a hand on Luke's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Mom. You and Donatello were right. It was Dad, and his stupid lab." The words poured out of Luke, bitter and accusing. "He let Hun take his car. We had to hike here on foot."

"Wait, you _walked?_"

"We ran from my place, Karen," said John. "We came as soon as Hun left. He came to my place, said he needed to get to the lab right away, that an alarm had been triggered and Haig called. I swear I didn't know… Anyway, it's only about five miles straight through the woods. It took us almost an hour, but Luke never slowed down, not once."

Karen was still reeling from the news that Luke had run five miles through the forest in the twilight. Even accompanied by his father, the dangers of falling, or running into a wild animal, chilled her blood.

"We've got to go, Mom." Luke's voice cut through her thoughts like a knife. "We've got to stop him. Hun plans to catch them. He wants to send them to some alternate universe. Mom, we've got to help them!" He was on his feet, heading for the door.

"Luke, there's nothing you can do!" John grabbed his son's arm. "You don't understand, Hun is a dangerous man. You can't get involved in this."

"You are right, Mr. Vincent-san," said Splinter, his quiet voice cutting through the tension like a knife. He looked at Karen. "You have done all you can for us, Miss Karen-san. I will go and assist my sons. All I ask of you is transportation. It would take me too long to reach the laboratory on foot."

"Of course, Splinter. Let's go," said Karen.

"Wait, Karen, you can't be serious…" John was staring, pleading.

"I'm going, John. I'll be back soon, Luke. Don't worry, we're going to help them. We won't let this Hun guy hurt the Turtles."

"Karen, you can't…" John made a grab for her. "You don't know what you're dealing with…"

"Get your hands off me, John," growled Karen, glaring into the man's eyes. "You've done enough damage to this family."

"I'm coming too, Mom."

"It's too dangerous, Luke," Karen began.

"You're not leaving without me!"

"There is no time to argue, Karen," said Splinter urgently. "We must go _now._"

"All right. Get in the truck," said Karen. "We're going."

"I'm coming too," said John, rushing to keep up.

No one demurred. John and Luke climbed up into the rear seat while Karen and Splinter took the front. No one spoke on the tense ten-minute drive back to the lab.

This time Karen didn't bother trying to conceal her arrival. She drove right up to the front door, parking the truck next to John's car. The parking lot was deserted, dotted with empty late-night employee's cars. Splinter was out of the truck before she turned off the ignition. He paused for a moment, peering at her.

"Stay here," he ordered softly.

"Splinter, I…"

"Your family has come to enough harm in helping us," said Splinter, shaking his head. "Thank you, Miss Karen-san, but I agree with your husband. This is far too dangerous. Thank you, for all you have done for us. We will not forget your friendship."

Before Karen could reply, he was gone, melting into the shadows.


	31. Chapter 31 Confessions

**_Chapter 31 ~Confessions~_**

Karen turned in the seat to face her ex-husband. He was pale, trembling, as he stared at the shadows where the Rat had vanished.

"I… can't believe this… I can't believe I actually met him…" He spoke half to himself.

"Yeah, Dad, you met him, and now he's going to get himself killed thanks to you," snapped Luke.

John turned to look at his son, seeming to snap out of a trance.

"You've got to believe me, Luke, I never meant for this to happen."

"John, what the _hell_ is going on?" Karen snapped. "This is insane. You mean to tell me you knew about Splinter and the Turtles being here all along?"

He swallowed hard, and nodded. "I had no idea they were with _you_, of course. I thought they might be here. I… hoped…" He bent over, resting his face in his palms and his elbows on his knees. "You've got to understand, Karen, I was doing this for you… for Luke… He promised we'd be rich…"

"Begin at the beginning, John," said Karen. "How did all this happen? How did they arrive here?"

"It was a project Doctor Haig was working on," said John slowly. "The portal was his creation. He'd used it before… The technology is beyond me, but as far as I understand it, the unit essentially opens a… wormhole."

"You mean… like a window?" Karen was frowning, trying to wrap her mind around the concept.

"Yes, basically. And there's no telling where it will open _to_. He'd been experimenting with various frequencies…"

"So… this scientist… he was just opening random windows to… to wherever?" Karen shook her head, stunned.

"No, no, it wasn't like that. The experiments were contained within a specialized field…" John indicated a box with his hands. "Nothing that came through the portal would have been allowed to get loose... at least not on purpose."

"What _kind_ of things?" Karen felt cold.

"Space matter mostly," said John slowly. "Dr. Haig had no idea it could open up a window to another… dimension. He thought it only created portals to other _places. _He was using it to collect samples from meteors, asteroids. He hoped to eventually be able to bring material here from other _planets_. He never expected, nor retrieved anything actually alive… well not until two weeks ago." He shuddered. "There… there was an accident. Something went wrong. Really wrong."

"How wrong, John?"

"The… containment shield was breached," said John quietly. "Something… I don't know what it was, but _something_ came through. It broke free… broke through a shield meant to withstand the vacuum of space. It… it got loose. Before Haig could close the portal or repair the shield, more things came through. Hun landed in the lab. Five more… objects… were recorded as arriving, but the shield was completely compromised by then, and they materialized outside the lab. He wasn't able to find them."

"The Turtles. And Splinter." Karen nodded. "What about Hun?"

"He was bewildered at first, of course," said John slowly. "Frightened and angry, but he's a fast thinker. Apparently he told Haig that the other six creatures that came through were monsters, mutants, from his universe. Haig didn't know who he was, and he believed him."

"Wait, _six_?"

"Yes. There's another one, still out there somewhere. Haig's been working with Hun to find it, to contain it and bring it back. Hun, of course, has his own agenda."

"How did _you_ get mixed up in all this, John?" Karen searched her ex-husband's face. "How did you get involved with a guy like Hun?"

"Once Hun discovered that he's a fictional character in this world, Haig brought me in as an adviser," said John slowly. "I knew who Hun was of course, but I couldn't say anything. Haig believed he was helping… I went along because I wanted to find the others. I thought…" He glanced at Luke. "I thought if I could meet them, _talk_ to them, I could convince them to stay here, in our world. Imagine the possibilities! Karen, with me acting as their agent, with my connections in the animation world, they could have _careers_ in Hollywood! More movies would be made… they'd be an absolute blockbuster hit!"

Karen stared, disbelieving. "John… they're _mutants_. Do you really think they would agree to become movie stars? Do you think they'd be _allowed_ to roam free?"

"Karen, they're already beloved movie _icons_," argued John. "No government facility in the _world_ could keep them contained once the Press found out they were here. They're celebrities…"

"They're _ninjas_, Dad," Luke spoke up. "They don't _want_ to be in the movies. They were totally freaked out when they saw the DVDs. They don't even want to stay here! How could you do this to them?"

"I… I didn't think… I just thought I would be helping them," John replied. "I never wanted to cause them harm, Luke, please believe that."

"They're my _friends_, Dad."

Luke's expression tore at Karen's heart. He looked so _old_, so angry. The little boy who loved his father had been replaced by bitter, unyielding fury.

"Luke…" Karen reached over the seat to touch Luke's shoulder, but he jerked away.

"No. No, it's his fault, and if anything happens to them, I'll never forgive him. Never. I'm going."

With that, he jumped out of the truck and took off for the door.

"Luke, no!" John was out of the truck and after him with one leap. Karen wasn't far behind. They caught up with their son as he tried the door, kicking it in frustration when it wouldn't budge.

"Luke, you can't go in there," panted John. "You have no idea…"

"I _know_, Dad." Luke whirled to face his parents. Tears streaked down his cheeks. "I _know_ it's dangerous. I know I'm not a fighter, not trained like them. I know I could get hurt. I don't _care._ They're my friends…" His gaze flicked to Karen. "Our friends, and they need help. This is your fault, Dad. I've got to help fix it. They've got to get home again."

John stared at his son for a long moment.

"Luke, let me call them on their cel phone," pleaded Karen. "We can tell them… get them to come out. We'll go back to the house. We'll figure this out, I promise."

Luke gave a terse nod, and Karen flipped open her phone, punching the appropriate buttons. She frowned.

"He's not answering."

"I _knew _it. They're in trouble. Dad, you've got to let us in. We've got to help them!"

"Luke, I…" John met his son's eyes. Slowly, he nodded. "All right. We'll go in. But stay with me, ok? I don't want you rushing off and getting hurt. You saw how huge the facility is, you could easily get lost."

"Let's _go_, Dad."

Karen didn't bother to protest as John slid his key-card into the slot. There was a faint _click_, and John pulled the door open. They moved as one through the door and into a long, white hall.

"We need to go to the end of the hall, then left," Luke said to his mother. "I remember."

"Hold on, Luke, let me go first," said John. "At least if I run into Hun I should be able to talk to him. Maybe even stall him while you find the others."

Karen took Luke's arm, silencing his protest with a look. Together they followed John down the hall. He hesitated, glancing around the corner, before proceeding.

_I feel like 007_, thought Karen as they crept down the hall. _But without all the gadgets, and without the guarantee of a successful mission before the credits roll._

Cautiously, they made their way down the hall until they reached an unassuming gray door marked Laboratory 10. Restricted Access. John glanced at Karen before once more producing his key card.

"Dr. Haig and I are the only ones who have access to this lab," he said quietly. "If he's not here, there's no way Hun can get inside."

_I bet he could_, thought Karen with a grim smile. _If the damage to Martha's door is any indication of his strength, I bet he could just force this one open._

John pushed the door open and stepped into the darkened room ahead of them. There was a sudden scuffle and Karen caught a flash of silver out of the corner of her eye.

"John!"

Luke made to rush into the room after his father, but Karen threw out her arm, stopping him. Two things happened simultaneously. A hand shot out of the room, capturing Karen's wrist and dragging her into the lab, and she heard a voice speak in the darkness to the right of the door.

"Don't move. Don't _breathe_," a familiar voice hissed.

"Raphael?" Karen turned her head that way as she was dragged forward, but the light was too dim to make out more than dark shapes. The iron grip on her wrist loosened suddenly.

"Karen? Raph, wait…"

"Mikey, it's us…" Karen said quickly. More movement near the door and a light flicked on. Karen blinked, and turned in time to see Raphael take a step back, removing his sai from John's neck and sheathing it. His other hand held John's collar, pinning the man to the wall. John was staring, wide-eyed at the mutant. Luke was just inside the now-closed door, looking from Raphael to Michelangelo, who was giving Karen a rather sheepish grin.

"Are you guys ok?" he demanded. "We tried to call you but Donatello didn't answer his phone…"

"We are unharmed, Luke-kun," said Splinter calmly, coming forward. "Leonardo and Donatello should be rejoining us shortly. Donatello needed to find a computer station within the facility. Leonardo accompanied him to find one."

"We're just glad you're all right, Splinter," said Karen. "We came to help you get out of here. Hun's hanging around somewhere, it's not safe. John knows the scientist who brought you here. He can help. We'll talk to Doctor Haig and get you all sent home safely, but right now we have to get out of here."

"No, Miss Karen-san," said Splinter firmly. "Donatello has discovered the machine and its function. He should be able to retrieve the information he needs to work the device from the computer. We must contain Hun and return him to our dimension as well."

"That's how Hun knew you were here. Haig has the computers set up to set off an alarm of sorts, a signal which is sent to his personal computer, if anyone attempts to access certain files."

"Then Hun will be seeking my sons." Splinter moved toward the door.

"Splinter, wait. There's… there's something else." John's expression was still strained. He glanced at the Turtle still pinning him to the wall. "If… if Raphael here could just… let me down, I'll explain."

The dark-skinned Turtle glared, but lowered the man to the ground, watching him suspiciously.

"First…" John adjusted his collar, swallowing. "I have to say, despite the circumstances, it's an honor, an absolute honor, to meet you all."

"Yeah, yeah, we're thrilled. Now, talk," growled Raph, crossing his arms over his plastron.

John glanced at him nervously. "The thing is… you guys and Hun weren't the only things that came here. There's… there's something else. I don't know what it was, I wasn't here, but it destroyed the containment field and attacked Hun. Doctor Haig described it as a monster. Hun was able to throw it off, and it broke out through the window and crashed through the trees to the ground."

"The microburst Don was talking about," said Karen slowly. "He was right. It wasn't a weather anomaly at all. The damage was caused by that… that whatever it is."

John nodded.

"So yer sayin' somet'in _else_ came here from our world?" Raphael glared. "Dat's great. Jus' great. Firs' we got Hun, now we got… what? Some kinda monster? An' we don't even know what it _is_?"

"The doctor gave me a description," said John. "I drew it."

He reached for something in his back pocket. Raphael's sai was instantly in his hand, pointed at the man. John froze for a moment, watching the red-banded Turtle.

"I'm just getting my sketch pad," he explained. Raphael's eyes narrowed but he nodded, moving his sai to indicate the man should continue. Very slowly, John reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small pad. He held it up for the Turtle to see before holding it out to Splinter.

Splinter studied the image, frowning. "I have not encountered anything like this," he said slowly.

Michelangelo leaned over his father's shoulder. His blue eyes went wide as he studied the drawing. "Whoa, duuuude. That is one ugly critter. We gotta find _that?_"

"It would appear so, my son," said Splinter gravely. "We cannot allow such a monster to roam free in this world."

"Sensei, I t'ought we were goin' home. Dis… dis monster-t'ing, it ain't our problem," protested Raphael.

"It came from our dimension, Raphael," replied Splinter. "Although our presence here was not intentional, we are here now. We will gather your brothers and leave this place. We must find this creature."

"Aww, Sensei…"

Raphael's argument was cut short by the door flinging open so hard it slammed against the wall. Raphael jumped back, snatching his other sai from his belt and landing in a crouch. Michelangelo's nunchucks whistled as Karen dragged Luke back, behind a desk to one side of the room. John backed away from the door and Splinter moved to place himself between the human and the hulking figure that filled the doorway.

Leonardo and Donatello hung limp from the giant's hands. Karen realized with a start that he was holding them up by the lip of their shells.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" boomed the huge man with a cruel sneer. "Looks like a jamboree." He stepped into the room, dropping the unconscious Turtles to the floor. "And I arrived just in time to join the party."


	32. Chapter 32 Hun

_**Chapter 32 ~Hun~**_

"Leo! Don!" Luke cried out, rushing forward.

"John, stop him!" Karen shouted, but her ex husband stood, frozen, his eyes on the huge man advancing toward his son. Like lightening, Splinter moved to push the boy back, toward Karen.

She wrapped her arms around his middle and pulled him back bodily.

"Luke, no!"

"Let me _go_, Mom. They need help!"

"Stay back, Luke," Splinter ordered, his eyes glued to Hun.

"Yer goin' _down_, Hun," snarled Raphael, leaping at the man. One huge arm struck out, and Raphael bounced off, crashing to the floor. In an instant he was on his feet again, crouching for another attack.

"You have caused enough trouble, Hun," Splinter growled, circling.

Michelangelo's nunchucks spun. "Yeah, Dude, we have totally not missed _you_."

Luke stopped struggling against Karen's arm and stood, his fists clenched, glaring. Karen stared as Hun advanced on Splinter, resisting the urge to rush forward and shield the Rat from the menace. Something about the way Splinter's onyx eyes went hard and watchful, and the precision of his movements told her he was far more capable of handling the man than she could ever be.

Splinter's hand twitched, and his sons attacked in unison. Michelangelo charged Hun, ducking low as a ham-sized fist swung out, and tackled him around the knees. Raphael crashed into his chest with a flying kick that threw the man back a pace. With Mikey wrapped around his legs, he swayed, losing his balance. His arms wind-milled as he staggered backward out the door. Karen heard an almighty _crash_ from the hall, and a roar of rage.

"John Vincent-san, you must activate the portal," cried Splinter as he darted out of the room where grunts and shouts could be heard clearly.

John looked helplessly at Karen. "I'm no scientist," he said. "I don't know how the thing works!"

"Never mind, just start pushing buttons," cried Karen. She darted around the desk to where Leonardo was beginning to stir. "Leo, are you ok? Come on, you've got to move," she called urgently, tugging at his arm to get him to sit up.

Leo moaned softly, but pushed himself up with his uninjured arm. "Donny?"

"I've got him, Leo," said Luke from where he was kneeling next to the fallen Turtle. Donatello was moving restlessly, sitting up.

"Luke?" The purple-banded Turtle rubbed a hand over the back of his head, looking a bit hazy. "What's going on?"

"It's Hun…"

Another crash from the hall punctuated his words. Luke didn't get to finish his sentence before Leonardo was on his feet and drawing a katana, rushing into the hall and throwing himself into the fray. Karen caught a glimpse of a whirl of green and brown as Hun spun away with Raphael clinging to his thick neck.

Hun threw himself into the wall in an attempt to dislodge the Turtle, but Raphael was too quick for him and let go, landing lightly on the floor, bouncing back with a powerful punch which connected solidly with the side of Hun's head. The huge man wavered for an instant, his eyes going unfocused, before crashing to the floor face-first.

"Quickly, we must get him back inside the lab," urged Splinter. Leonardo sheathed his katanas as Raphael and Michelangelo each grabbed an arm.

The entire ruckus had taken under a minute, but Karen could hear the faint sounds of running feet and radios crackling as the night security rushed toward the scene. Leonardo leaned down to help his brothers.

"Leo, don't you _dare_." Donatello's sharp warning stopped his elder brother and earned him a dark-eyed glare. "Don't you dare mess up that arm again by trying to lift Hun," snapped Don.

"Donny's right Leo. We got da big ape," said Raph gruffly. Leonardo snorted, but stepped back, allowing his brothers to move the man out of the hall. They closed the door, locking it, just as the footsteps reached the hall. There were a few tense moments as guards' voices could be heard in the hall, but soon they moved off, calling loudly to one another about searching the building for intruders.

"That was too close," said Don, leaning back against the desk.

"Well, we've got Hun now," said Leonardo. "Let's get this portal thing fired up so we can go home."

"I can do that Leo," said Don confidently, moving to the small machine mounted on a table in the back of the room. He flipped a switch and began adjusting dials, checking the readout on a small screen set up on a desk.

"It appears the good doctor didn't use the machine again after our arrival," he muttered happily. "Good. The settings are calibrated perfectly. We should be able to activate it…"

"There is a complication, my sons," said Splinter quietly. "Donatello, prepare the machine. We must send Hun back to our universe before he regains consciousness."

"What do you mean by complication, Sensei?" asked Leonardo, strain showing clearly in his face. "I though this was it, we were going home."

"New information has come to light, Leonardo. It seems another… creature, was brought here from our world as well. We will need to locate and contain it before we can return to our own dimension," explained Splinter patiently.

"What? What creature?"

"I have a picture…" John swallowed hard as the blue-banded Turtle's gaze landed on him. "A sketch actually." He bent, picking up the pad, which had fallen to the floor. Leonardo took it from his hand and stared at the drawing.

"I've never seen anything like that before," he said, shaking his head. "Master, are you sure it's from _our_ universe?"

"It has to be," interjected John. "I mean, you all came from the same… place, right?"

"The chances of it being from _another_ dimension entirely are almost nil, Leo," said Donatello, looking up from the screen. "You know, we've seen some pretty weird things."

"Ok, Donny, if you say so," said Leo, shaking his head. He held the pad out to John. "You're right, Sensei. We can't leave that thing on the loose here. We'll have to figure out a way to capture it."

"Great. Jus' great. Da ol' Turtle luck, workin' true ta form," growled Raphael.

"Got it." Donatello pressed a button with a slight flourish, and a low hum filled the room. The hum grew in pitch in volume until it was a high-pitched whine. The end of the shaft began to glow. The glow grew slowly until it became a beam projecting onto the silver screen within the steel frame. Slowly, images appeared on the surface, foggy at first, then increasingly clear. A rooftop came into view. In the distance, pigeons fluttered. It looked like a very normal top of a building.

"Dude, that's where we were fightin' the Foot!" exclaimed Michelangelo. "Look, you can see the water tower…"

"There's no time. We've got to get Hun into the beam," said Donatello urgently. Raphael and Michelangelo heaved the huge man up. John took his ankles.

"Be careful. Don't get caught in the beam," warned Don.

They dragged the big man as close as possible.

"Mikey, let's lift 'im up an' drop 'im inta da beam. On t'ree," suggested Raphael. They heaved the man to a half-standing position. Karen saw Hun's eyelids flicker.

"Hurry," she said urgently. "He's waking up."

"One…" Mike and Raphael lifted him up further. "Two… t'ree!" they heaved the man back. For an instant, he swayed. His eyes opened and he lurched forward as if he'd run at the Turtles again, before his eyes went wide.

"Oh, crud…"

The next moment, he was pulled backward into the beam as if by some unseen force, and sucked _into_ the image on the screen. The image flickered for a moment, and Karen could clearly see the man land on the gritty roof, looking very bewildered indeed, before the portal flickered and closed with a low whine.

"That's it then. It works." Donatello was staring at the screen, clearly fascinated.

"Dude, it shut down. What if we can't get back again?" Michelangelo was staring at the silver screen too.

"It's ok, Mikey," soothed Don. "When we're ready, we'll fire it up again. There's really no reason it shouldn't work."

"We must go," said Splinter tersely. "The longer we stay here, the greater the chances we will be discovered."

"I agree, Father," said Leonardo.

Leaving the facility proved easier than coming in had been. The mutants formed a sort of circle around Karen, John and Luke. The group moved as quickly and silently as possible back down the passage. Soon they'd reached the parking lot. Luke, Leonardo and Raphael piled into John's car while Michelangelo, Donatello and Splinter climbed into the truck.

"How are you feeling Don?" asked Karen.

"A little dizzy," admitted Don. "But I'll be ok."

"My son, how did Hun overcome you and your brother?" asked Splinter.

"It was my fault, Sensei," said Donatello a bit sheepishly. "I was so engrossed in the file…"

"What about Leonardo?"

"I was talking to Leo," said Don, flushing. "I distracted him. We never heard him coming. He came up behind us. I was sitting in the chair and Leo was right next to me."

"He must have struck you both from behind," mused Splinter.

"Yes, Sensei. The next thing I knew, we woke up in the middle of the battle in the lab."

"Leonardo should have been paying closer attention," said Splinter sharply.

"I, too, Sensei," said Don quietly. "I allowed myself to become distracted."

"_Hai_," answered Splinter.

Donatello ducked his head, abashed.

"What will you do now, Splinter?" asked Karen. "Ok, so obviously you guys were able to break into the lab once. But with the disturbance, security is sure to be tightened."

"A wise man begins a journey with a single step," said Splinter.

Karen shot him a bewildered look. Donatello, seeing it, chuckled. "He means we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he said.

Karen glanced at the purple-banded Turtle in the mirror and gave him a grin. She noticed his brother was staring out the window, morose, and realized Michelangelo was unusually quiet.

_Maybe just the leftover shock from the fight,_ she thought, pulling into her own driveway behind John's sedan.

A rather tired group made their way into the house. Minor injuries were tended, and teasing and laughter trickled slowly back into the conversation like the first leaks of water through a crumbling dam.

"Raphael, what were you _thinking_?" asked Karen, bandaging a gash on the Turtle's arm. "Leaping on him like that?"

"I was t'inkin' Hun needed a faceful o' my sai," growled Raphael with a wolfish grin.

Karen snorted. "Too bad he saw you coming," she said.

John stood to one side, watching. He hadn't said much at all. Karen finished taping the gauze in place.

Raphael gave her a nod, flexing his arm. "T'anks."

"Just keep it clean," scolded Karen, running a hand lightly over his bicep. "You have enough scars."

The Turtle snorted. "Comes wit' da territory."

Karen got up, glancing at her ex husband. He met her eyes briefly, with a silent plea to talk to her alone. Karen gave him a short nod and motioned toward the hall. He followed her meekly down the hall to the master bedroom.

"What?" Karen asked, closing the door.

"I…" John trailed off, shaking his head with a sigh of frustration. "All this… I just… Karen, I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," said Karen softly.

John gave her a slightly wild look. "You want me to talk to _them?_ What will I say? Where am I supposed to begin?"

"You might want to start by talking to Luke," answered Karen. "As for the others…" She sighed. "John, they're just like you or I. Splinter's a very fair… person. He'll listen. Just talk to him."

John nodded slowly. "I can't believe I've been such an idiot," he said, half to himself.

Karen choked back a laugh. Unexpected tears stung her eyes.

"What?" he asked.

"That's the first time that I've ever heard you admit you might be wrong," said Karen, stifling the urge to giggle.

John stared at her, vexed, for a moment, before shaking his head with a rueful grin.

"I suppose I deserved that."

"Yes John," but Karen smiled into his eyes as she said it. "Yes, you did."


	33. Chapter 33 Michelangelo

**_Chapter 33 ~Michelangelo~_**

The trepidation in John's expression when he approached Splinter and requested an audience with the Rat was almost comical. Karen's smile widened when Splinter's gaze flicked past her ex husband to her and back again, his eyebrow rising slightly. She'd seen the same look in his eye when he'd caught Michelangelo in a minor wrong doing and pretended to be stern to make the young Turtle squirm a bit before letting him off the hook with a fatherly smile.

"What do you wish to speak with me about, John Vincent-san?"

"I… I'd like to apologize," said John. Karen saw his ears turn pink, a sure sign he wished himself a hundred miles away. "For all the trouble I've caused your family."

"You are not the cause of our being here, John Vincent-san," replied Splinter calmly.

"I'm afraid my involvement puts me at fault," said John slowly. "Like an accessory after the fact."

Splinter bowed his head. "Recognizing fault is the first step to redeeming a mistake."

"Does that mean… you'd consider accepting my apology?" asked John. He glanced at Karen, clearly confused, and she couldn't contain her giggle.

"Yes, John Vincent-san," said Splinter with a smile.

"Oh… well, I… um… Thanks," stammered John, looking a bit flustered.

Karen left them sitting in the living room with John gathering his courage to ask Splinter the questions she could see in his eyes. She heard him clear his throat and begin speaking to the Rat in an awed, hushed tone, and knew he'd get past his nervousness soon enough.

_Splinter's a bit overwhelming at first,_ she thought. _But John'll be fine._

She headed down the hall toward Luke's room to check on her son and be sure the Turtles were settled in. Karen heard Luke's voice carrying clearly from his room.

"You sure you don't wanna talk to my dad, Mikey? He's an artist like you."

"Nah, not right now, Dude."

Michelangelo's voice sounded so serious, almost sad, it gave Karen pause. She tapped lightly at the door before pushing it open a bit.

"Hey, are you guys ok in here?"

Luke was leaning against his desk. Mikey was lounging on the bed, lying back across it with his hands behind his head, propped up on Luke's pillow, staring at the ceiling. His trademark grin was absent, and Karen had never seen the young Turtle's eyes so dull and tired.

"Mike? What's wrong?" She came to sit beside him on the bed, laying a hand tentatively on his knee. "Are you ok?"

Michelangelo blew out a sigh. "Yeah, I'm ok, Dudette," he replied, giving her a ghost of his usual smile.

"You don't seem so ok, Mikey," said Karen. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nah, 'm fine."

"Mike, you guys just kicked the _crap_ out of Hun," said Luke, exasperated. "You beat him. You figured out how to get home. What's wrong?"

Mike shrugged and sat up, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

"It's just…" he glanced at Karen. She was startled to see tears swimming in his blue eyes. "It's just that… You know, _seeing_ the city like that… seeing the water tower…" he trailed off.

"Seeing home?" Karen asked softly, giving his leg a squeeze.

Michelangelo nodded. "Yeah. I guess I just… I wanna go home."

"But Mike, you know you can stay here as long as you need to, right? I mean, you guys could _live_ here if you wanted to," said Luke. Desperation tinged his words. "You know, my dad's idea isn't that dumb. You guys really could stay here."

"Dude, we've got a _life_ at home, you know? I mean," Michelangelo waved his hands. "If we don't get home again, April's gonna be all worried about us. Besides, who's gonna feed Klunk?"

"I guess." Luke turned away and Karen's heart constricted.

Michelangelo stood up. "Hey, man," he said, clapping Luke on the shoulder. "It's been great meetin' you an' all. It really has. But we've got family waiting for us. I mean, imagine if your mom or someone just disappeared. We can't do that to April an' Casey."

Luke nodded slowly. "I get it," he said softly. He looked up at Mike and managed a grin. "Don't worry, Mikey. We'll help you guys get home again. Whatever it takes."

"Thanks Dude." Michelangelo's smile flashed. He squeezed Luke's shoulder. "I'm gonna go see what Raphy's doin'."

"Don't aggravate your brother, Michelangelo," warned Karen. "He needs to keep that gash on his arm covered. Wrestling with you isn't exactly what the doctor ordered."

"Don't worry," said Mike with a grin. "Raph loves me. I'm his favorite brother."

Karen just shook her head, watching the orange-banded Turtle saunter off in search of his older brother. She suspected the peaceful evening atmosphere of the house was about to be shattered.

"Are you ok, Luke?" she asked, turning to face her son.

He shrugged and sat down on the bed, absentmindedly running his hand over the depression Michelangelo's shell had left in his bedding.

"I guess," he said. "I mean, I understand that they wanna go home. I just… I guess I kinda hoped they'd stay."

"I know." Karen pulled out the desk chair and sat down. "Luke, what about your dad?"

"What about him?" Luke's eyes, when he met his mother's gaze, were hard.

"Honey, he's really sorry for his involvement in all this. I think… well, I think you should give him another chance."

Luke snorted. "I bet Splinter hates him."

"Splinter already accepted his apology," said Karen quietly.

He looked up at her, startled. "He did?"

Karen nodded. "That's right. They're in the living room now, talking. Maybe you should join them."

"Ok, Mom. No promises," said Luke.

"I know. Just give him a chance," said Karen.

Luke nodded. "Ok, Mom, I'll talk to him tomorrow, I promise. I'm tired. I'm going to bed."

"Ok, Luke."

Karen saw to it that the others were settled, said goodnight to John, and headed to bed.

* * *

It was late the next morning before she woke up. The house was relatively quiet. The noise of four teenage boys was muffled by said teens being ninjas. Karen smiled as she got up and headed into the shower. Luke made more noise than the others put together.

Karen's afternoon was relatively uneventful. The Turtles each seemed to have their own activities to pursue. Even Splinter disappeared into the upstairs spare room to meditate in solitude. Luke was quiet, subdued. Karen put his withdrawn behavior down to leftover shock. He had, after all, witnessed a rather violent battle between his four friends and Hun.

Late in the afternoon, John showed up. He greeted Karen cautiously, as if not quite sure of his welcome. Luke avoided him completely, retreating to his room. Finally John sought out Splinter for another talk.

Restless, Karen decided to check up on the Turtles. Donatello was tapping away on the computer.

"You ok, Don?" she asked, sticking her head in the door.

"Yep."

She grinned at the terse answer and left him alone to continue his research. Leonardo and Raphael were in the kitchen, fixing a snack. Michelangelo was nowhere in sight.

"Hiya, Karen," said Raph, looking up from the large sandwich he was assembling. "Ya want one?"

"No, thanks, Raphael," said Karen, eyeing the mountain of what looked like sliced boiled egg, ham, cheese, lettuce and tomato glued together with a generous slathering of mayonnaise and surrounded by two thick pieces of bread.

"Can I get you a cup of tea, Karen?" asked Leonardo. His plate sported a smaller version of his brother's sandwich.

"That would be nice, Leonardo, thank you," said Karen, taking a seat at the table. "Have you two seen Michelangelo?"

"Nah. Da chuckle-head was in here a couple minutes ago, but I think he went out ta check up on da horses," said Raphael.

"Ok."

"Here you go, Karen." Leonardo set a steaming cup in front of her.

"Mmm, thanks, Leo."

"No problem."

Karen hid her smile behind the rim of her cup. Leonardo was so much more comfortable with her now.

_I'm really going to miss them,_ she realized with a sharp pang. _Poor Luke. No wonder he was trying to talk Michelangelo into staying yesterday. _

She sipped her tea, watching the two Turtles. Raphael dug into his sandwich, but Leonardo sat looking at his for a moment before pushing his plate away.

"Are you feeling ok, Leonardo?" asked Karen, concerned.

_I hope he's not suffering from a concussion._

"…Yeah."

"Fearless is jus' upset 'cause Hun got da drop on 'im las' night," said Raphael around a bite of sandwich.

"I should've been paying _attention_," snapped Leonardo.

"Oh, sure, Leo, yer never supposed ta make mistakes." Raphael rolled his eyes. "Get over yerself."

"My mistake could've gotten Donny killed," replied Leonardo, glaring.

"Leonardo," Karen reached across the table to take the Turtle's hand in her own. He jerked back, startled, and she blew out an exasperated sigh. "Raphael is right. Everyone makes mistakes. All you can do is learn from them and move on."

Leo glanced at her, his dark eyes unreadable behind his mask.

Raphael let out a choked guffaw. Coughing twice, he swallowed, and turned a grin on Karen. "Ya've been listenin' ta Splinter," he said, smirking.

"What?"

"He says da past is fer learnin', not livin'," explained Raphael, his grin widening. "It's one o' his favorite sayin's."

"Your father is a wise man," said Karen calmly, looking at Leonardo.

He snorted, glancing at his brother, but picked up his sandwich and took a bite.

Raphael opened his mouth to say something else, but Mikey trotted into the room, distracting him.

"How's da horses, Chucklehead?"

"Karen, Blaze is gone!"

The woman was on her feet in an instant. "What? What do you mean, he's gone? Did you check the pasture?"

"All over, Dudette. I looked in the barn, and the field and the other barn… I can't find him anywhere."

Karen swore, getting to her feet. "He couldn't have gone through the fence," she muttered. "We just built it… there can't be any loose boards…"

"I didn't see any." Mike shook his head.

"I've got to go and look for him," said Karen, heading for the back door.

"I'll come with you, Karen," said Leonardo.

"Karen, is Luke in his room? I thought I'd say goodnight to him before I go." John walked into the kitchen.

Karen paused halfway to the door. "He was in his room. Did you look there?"

"I checked," said John, frowning. "Splinter suggested I try talking to him, but he wasn't there."

"Blaze is missing," Karen told him. "Listen, why don't you look around the house. Check the office. Maybe he's talking to Donatello. I have to go out and look for Blaze."

"Wait, Blaze is gone?" John frowned. "Karen, Luke must've taken him."

Karen met her ex-husband's eyes, and felt the blood drain from her face. "But… Luke wouldn't have taken… where would he go?"

"He wants to help us get home," said Michelangelo suddenly. "Karen, he's gone to look for the monster."

"By _his self? _Luke ain't dat dumb, Mikey." Raphael stood up nonetheless, fingering his sai.

"He said he wanted to help," insisted the orange-banded Turtle.

"He… might have," said Karen slowly. A wave of weakness made her limbs tremble and she swayed. "But where? Where would he look? Where would he go?"

"Karen… That thing, that attacked Splinter…" Leonardo spoke slowly. "What if… what if it wasn't a cougar at all? What if that… that thing, was what attacked him? He said he didn't get a good look at it…"

"The cave." Karen whirled, running for the door, heedless of the cries behind her.


	34. Chapter 34 Monster Hunting

**A/N: Today's chapter, dear Readers, is the last I will be posting myself until I come home at the end of this week. I'm leaving to attend the Montrose Christian Writer's Conference in Montrose, PA. Once again, my friend Danni will be posting chapters in my absence. YAY DANNI! *claps wildly***

**I'll have some limited internet access so I'll try to reply to reviews.**

**I'll be back, hopefully refreshed, renewed, and ready to post the remainder of this fic, on Saturday. **

**Thanks again to Danni! She not only beta-read this baby, she's posting it as well! WHOOT. :)**

**I should probably add a warning to this chapter for some described gore. Nothing graphic.  
**

**

* * *

****_Chapter 34 ~Monster Hunting~_**

A thick, dark green arm snaked around Karen's waist, stopping her flight mid-stride, and hauling her back into the room.

"Let me _go!_" she shouted, striking out instinctively.

"Ya can't jus' go runnin' off, Karen," growled Raphael, turning her around bodily and setting her on the floor. She squirmed free, glaring at the red-banded Turtle. He glared defiantly back.

"Raphael's right," said Leonardo. "Karen, wait. We'll get Luke back. He hasn't been missing long. Don't panic."

"Don't _panic?_ Leonardo, that… that _thing_ is out there, and so is Luke. What if he _finds_ it?"

John was heading for the door when Raphael moved to block his exit. "Where da ya t'ink yer goin'?"

"I'm _going_ to find my _son_," snapped John. "You can't keep us here. Karen's right, we've got to go after him."

"We _will_, Mr. Vincent," said Leonardo, pleading. "Karen, listen to me. We've dealt with things like this before. We will find Luke. But we've got to plan. We can't just go racing off…"

"Maybe _you_ can't," Karen answered sharply. She whirled, heading for the front door.

"What is going on out here?" Splinter's voice cut through the chaos. He held up a hand, and Karen paused.

"Luke's missing. We think he took Blaze to go and hunt for the monster. I have to go and stop him," she explained, striding forward.

Splinter stepped in front of her so suddenly Karen nearly ran into him.

"Miss Karen-san."

Karen stopped short, staring at the Rat.

_Did he just use his "Raphael!" tone on me?_

Splinter shook his head. "Wait. We must form a plan. We will _all_ look for Luke-kun. He can not have gone far."

"Master, we think the monster might be what attacked you in the cave," said Leonardo quickly. "Karen and Mr. Vincent think Luke might've gone there to try to find it."

Splinter looked at Karen. For an instant she saw a flicker of fear in his onyx eyes, but then it was gone, replaced by a firm determination.

"Leonardo, Raphael, you know where this cave is?"

"Yes, Sensei," answered Leo.

"Then you must lead us there."

"Raph and I will go."

"We will all go, my son. This creature may prove dangerous."

"_Hai_, Sensei." Leonardo disappeared down the hall to fetch Donatello.

"You're not going without me," said Karen. Splinter looked at her again, and nodded slowly.

"Very well, Miss Karen-san. You and Mr. Vincent may accompany us."

The Rat headed for the door, with Raphael and Michelangelo close behind him. Karen followed, with John close behind her. Leonardo and Donatello caught up as they reached the edge of the field leading to the cave.

"It would perhaps be wise to divide our search and widen our chances," said Splinter, looking at Karen and John. "Is there any place else Luke might've gone?"

Karen shook her head. "Not that I can think of," she said.

"Wait. There's one place." John glanced at Karen. A slight flush crept up his cheeks. "He told me about it. He's got a place he likes to go… in the woods beyond Martha's. It sounds like a sort of cove, a clearing surrounded by heavy brush. He goes there…" he trailed off. "He goes there when he wants to get away from Karen for a little while," he finished with a sigh.

"What? Why?" Karen stared at her ex-husband, stung.

"Karen, you… well sometimes you're… a little overprotective," said John slowly. "Luke's growing up. He'll be eighteen next year. Karen, he's not a kid anymore."

"We don't have time for this," snapped Karen, turning away to hide the tears that filled her eyes. "We've got to find Luke _now._"

"I'll go to the clearing," said John quietly. "If Luke's not there, I'll meet you all at Martha Willard's, all right?"

"_Hai_, John Vincent-san," answered Splinter. "Good luck."

Karen strode across the field, heedless of the yellowed frozen grasses that clutched at her jeans and the crunch of ice-crusted patches of snow under her boots.

_Luke doesn't want to get away from me. We've always had a good relationship. I've only done what I needed to, to keep him safe… _She punctuated the thoughts by crunching a little more firmly through the snow than absolutely necessary.

_What if you lose him? _Her own words to Splinter echoed in her mind, and his reply. _Death comes to us all, Miss Karen-san…_

_Not to Luke,_ she thought. _Not now, when he's come so far, overcome so much. Not today._

She picked up her stride, barely noticing the green figures who flanked her either side. They found the small path, and Raphael jogged on ahead, closely followed by Leonardo. Splinter stayed back a bit, closer to Karen.

She looked around. "Where are Mike and Don?"

"They have gone with Mr. Vincent-san," answered Splinter quietly.

_I would've noticed that if I hadn't stormed off,_ thought Karen, shame bringing heat to her cheeks.

"Do not worry, Karen," said Splinter quietly. "My sons will see to it that Mr. Vincent-san is safe."

Karen nodded, trying to hide the emotions wrestling for supremacy in her heart.

"Let's go."

They made their way more cautiously forward. Raphael and Leonardo had both drawn their weapons. As they approached the cave the Turtle brothers made no sound.

"We'll go in first, Sensei," whispered Leonardo over his shoulder.

Splinter nodded. "Be careful, my sons. The smell of blood is heavy on the air. The creature may be wounded." He was staring at the cave opening as if it were an enemy.

Karen tensed at the mention of blood. _Not Luke's. Luke is fine… he's not in there…_

"Splinter, look at this." Karen pointed. Near the cave entrance, stuck on a twig, a small yellowish tuft of fur moved in the breeze. Splinter reached out cautiously and plucked the fur free of the bark, rubbing it between his fingers.

"There is blood as well." He pointed. Karen spotted the brownish-red blotches splashed on the tree and shivered.

Movement from the cave had them both whirling. Raphael emerged first. His face was an oddly grayish shade. Leonardo followed close behind his brother. He approached his father, stiff with tension, and gave him a short bow.

"It seems the creature that attacked you was a cougar after all, Sensei," said Leo quietly.

Raphael nodded. "It won't be attackin' nobody else," he said.

Karen was surprised to hear the gruff teenager's voice come out so shaken.

"My sons, what has happened?" Splinter reached out one hand to each of them, as if he would draw them close.

"The cat is dead, Master," answered Leonardo, in that same stiff tone. His dark eyes met Karen's briefly and she saw the depth of his distress, though he was doing his best to hide it. "It… it has been… attacked."

"Wait, something attacked and killed… a _cougar?_" Karen stared.

"Well, it's a big yellow cat with its brains bashed in," answered Raphael, a little of his usual bravado creeping back. "Looks like it was just smashed against da wall."

"Oh…" Karen fell back a step, feeling sick to her stomach and suddenly weak. "Oh dear God…"

"We must find the others," said Splinter firmly. "Miss Karen-san, as I recall, Mrs. Willard-san's house is nearby. We are to meet your husband there, are we not?"

"Yes. Yes, Splinter, it's this way. Let's go."

Having a purpose helped Karen collect her thoughts. She moved through the brush, a bit more cautious but quickly. Knowing there was something lurking amongst the trees that could kill a _cougar_ had her jumping at the slightest forest sound. The atmosphere of twilight settling, darkening the trees and making ominous shadows didn't help her nerves.

The trip to Martha's seemed to take far longer than usual. Karen looked around often to assure herself the Turtles and Splinter were safely nearby, and hadn't been snatched up by some phantasm. The yard was empty as they approached, and the house seemed quiet. No lights were on. The last of the late evening sun glinted off the windows, giving the house a lonely, haunted look.

"Martha's not out of the hospital yet," said Karen softly. "No one's here."

"John Vincent-san and my sons should be here by now," said Splinter, agitated. He looked around, sniffing the air. "We will go," he decided. "And look for them."

The little group moved cautiously across the yard, heading for the woods on the other side. Suddenly Splinter stopped, his ears swiveling. Karen strained to listen, knowing that the Rat's hearing was probably far keener than her own.

Splinter took off at a dead run, disappearing through the trees, with Leonardo and Raphael hot on his heels. Karen did her best to keep up, but they were soon lost to her in the evening's weak light. She didn't need to see the Turtles and their master, though. She could hear the shouts and crashing sounds that prompted Splinter's action not far ahead.

Running for all she was worth, Karen zeroed in on the sounds until she broke through the thick brush and stumbled into a clearing. A scream tore from her throat as she took in the scene. A hulking black shadow circled on the far side of the clearing. In the dim light she could see three stocky figures circling the creature. A smaller form darted forward, striking the creature and causing it to let out a coughing roar. It swung a huge limb, but the Rat had already darted back, well out of range.

Two of the stockier figures launched forward, and Karen saw the glint of sai and katana. The creature struck out again, knocking them back as if they weighed nothing. There was an almighty _crash_, and a cry. Moving cautiously, she slipped back into the trees and ran, stumbling, searching blindly.

"Luke? John?"

A shadow loomed out of the forest toward her, lurching slightly. "Mom?"

"Oh my God, Luke…" Karen rushed forward, wrapping her son up in a crushing embrace. "Luke, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Mom." Luke clung to his mother, trembling, for a moment before letting her go. "Really."

"What _happened?_ Oh, Luke, what were you _thinking_?"

"I… I wanted to help." His voice sounded small. "I thought if I could find the monster… I wasn't gonna fight it, Mom, honest. I'm not _stupid._ I just wanted to find it, to help them…"

"I understand, Luke. You shouldn't have gone off on your own." A particularly loud _crash_ had Karen cringing. "We can't stay here. It's not safe. Where's your father?"

"He's with Mikey," said Luke. "Come on, Mom."

"All right. Wait, what's wrong with Mike?" Karen let Luke take her hand, dragging her through the trees.

"Nothing."

A few more steps and Karen nearly tripped over a prone form. Michelangelo sat on his knees, hunched over what Karen now realized was John. He was lying on his back, unmoving.

"Michelangelo! What happened?"

"Karen! Thank shell you're here," answered Mike. A hoarse cry rang out from the clearing and another _crash_. "I've gotta go an' help my bros."

"Wait, what's happened to John?" Karen cried, but the orange-banded Turtle was already gone, disappearing through the trees.


	35. Chapter 35 Defeat

_**Chapter 35 ~Defeat~**_

"It was my fault." Luke fell to his knees beside his father, taking his hand.

Karen leaned forward, feeling carefully for a pulse. It was rapid, but steady under her fingers. "I found the thing all right. There was no sign of it at the cave…"

"Did you go in?" asked Karen.

"No." Luke shook his head. She could just make out his face in the pale light. "There was nothing there. It was dead silent, like a tomb. So I thought I'd ride by Mrs. Willard's house. You know, to make sure everything was ok. I was gonna come back to the house, but I thought I heard something, so I rode Blaze down into the woods. That… That thing… it came out of nowhere. It jumped at me, and Blaze threw me off. I heard it go crashing after him… so I… I yelled. I was afraid it'd catch him, Mom."

"Luke, that was _insane_," hissed Karen. Even as she spoke, she was checking John over for injuries. The left side of his chest moved under her fingers.

"I know, Mom," said Luke quietly. "But I couldn't let it get Blaze."

"What happened?"

"It came after me." Luke swallowed hard. "It just charged… It's so fast… I ran but it would've caught me. Michelangelo must've heard me yelling. He came running up and kicked it. He was _amazing,_ Mom. He knocked it right over."

"But it got up again?"

"Yeah." Luke shuddered. "And it was _mad_. It rushed at Mikey, so I yelled some more and waved my arms, so it'd leave him alone. It ran at me again but Dad…" His breathing hitched. "Dad was there, Mom. He ran right in front of it and just stood there. It hit him… he went flying, Mom, and then Mikey attacked it again. I stayed with Dad. I... I was sure... I mean, the way that thing hit him... but he was breathing. Mike led it off a little way, then came back to us. He said we had to get Dad out of here, had to get him medical attention. Then we heard the others, and that's when you showed up."

"Michelangelo's right," said Karen. "Can you help me carry him?"

"I… I can try." Luke straightened his shoulders.

"Ok, we're going to do a carry called a chair," said Karen. "It's the only way we'll be able to manage him. Come here." She motioned, and Luke knelt on the other side of his father. He flinched as another barking roar rang out, and a loud crash shook the ground. Karen tried to tune out the Turtles' shouting and the noises of battle, focusing on the task at hand.

"Slide your hands under his back and knees, and grab my wrists," she instructed. Luke did as she said, taking a firm grip on her wrists. Karen wrapped her fingers around his wrists, startled to find them thicker, stronger than she'd expected. Luke had grown. _When did that happen? And why didn't I notice?_ she wondered.

"On three, we'll lift him," she said. "One, two… three."

Luke grunted as they stood up, cradling John between them.

"Dad hasn't lost _enough_ weight," he grumbled.

"This way," answered Karen.

They moved swiftly through the trees. The moon had risen, giving a clear but cold light, which cast long, menacing shadows. Luke was gasping for breath by the time Martha's house loomed out of the dark, but he didn't complain or slow down. They carried John carefully onto the porch, laying him down.

He moaned softly. "K… Karen?" His voice was barely a whisper.

"Shh, don't move, John. We're going to get you help."

"Luke…"

"I'm here Dad. I'm ok... Dad, I'm sorry…"

John coughed, convulsively curling up.

"Luke, you're going to have to help your dad," said Karen. "Listen, I know there's a window Martha leaves unlocked. Find it, climb in, and call Pete Darlee. He needs an ambulance, _now._"

Luke was off the porch, racing around the side of the house before Karen finished speaking. She smoothed a hand over John's forehead, feeling his skin damp beneath her hand. He quivered slightly.

"Guess… you were… right… Should've… listened," whispered John.

"Shh, don't talk," Karen soothed. "The ambulance will be here soon.

Martha's front door opened suddenly, startling Karen. Luke stood framed in the doorway. "Mom, I called Pete. I hung up before he could ask what was going on."

"Good job. When he comes, tell him John fell off Blaze. You were near here, so you came to Martha's to call for help," Karen instructed, getting to her feet.

"What about you?"

"I've got to help the Turtles," Karen answered firmly. "They might get hurt."

"Wait, Mom…"

"Luke, there's no time to argue…"

"No, there's something that might help. Mrs. Willard showed me." Luke turned, disappearing into the house for a moment. Karen heard a triumphant cry before his thudding footsteps returned.

"Here. It was James'," said Luke, thrusting a heavy pistol into her hands. It was a fully automatic, matte black gun. "She kept it in a box in his old room. There're bullets in the clip. Unlatch the safety." He pointed.

"Ok. Thanks, Luke."

"Be careful, Mom," said Luke seriously, before kneeling beside his father. "It's gonna be ok, Dad. Mr. Darlee will be here soon with the ambulance."

Karen paused for an instant, shaken at how mature her son sounded.

"I love you guys," she said, before turning and racing back toward the woods, where the sounds of battle still raged.

Green eyes glowed out of the dark as Karen breached the brush once more, rushing into the clearing. She pointed the pistol toward them, but froze. Not two, but _five_ eyes glared at her, in a close-packed cluster, glowing eerily in the dim light. She could just make out the shape of the thing. It was huge, standing easily eight feet tall. It had wide shoulders with what looked like spikes protruding from either side. It lifted a limb and Karen saw a oddly shaped claw at the end of its arm. There was a cry and a darker shadow shifted, flying at the creature and crashing into its shoulder. It staggered back a step, a low moan of rage escaping it, and swung clumsily at its assailant. The Turtle bounded out of the way before the creature could orient on his position.

Karen lifted the pistol, aware that her hand was shaking abominably. She lined up her aim in the center of the glowing eyes, but a flash of movement made her pull up abruptly. She sighed in frustration. She couldn't take the shot with the Turtles darting in and out like pinballs. She'd risk hitting one of them. She moved carefully around the edge of the clearing, staying close to the trees and searching for a clear shot. She would've run into Donatello if he hadn't reached out and caught her arm.

"Don! You scared me half to death," she scolded as soon as she could breathe again.

"Sorry."

His voice was low, pained.

"You're hurt?" Karen reached out, grasping the young terrapin's shoulder.

"A little." She could hear the smile in his voice. "We're hitting it in relays now. It's getting tired."

"So are you." Karen reached out to touch his hand. It was ice-cold. "You can't be out in these temperatures."

"Well the cold is working for us, too," insisted Don. "It's slowing the thing down. It can't keep this up much longer."

There was a cry and something flew through the air, landing about six feet to Karen's left. She rushed forward, recognizing the groan.

"Mikey!"

Donatello was at her side in an instant, reaching for his brother as if he couldn't feel the cold at all.

"Dude, uncool," grumbled Michelangelo, sitting up and rubbing his head. "Donny, we've gotta find a way to stop this thing."

"I know, Mikey. If we could get it wet somehow…"

"The nearest pond is a mile through the woods, across the road and into McGellon's property," mused Karen.

"Wait… Karen, how far away is the road?" asked Donatello.

"Not far," she answered, pointing. "Up there, through the trees. It's just a dirt track, really…"

"Are there power lines alongside it?"

"I… think so. Yes, there are. The lines run along the lane to Martha's and down the road to the other farm…"

"Perfect. Mike, we've got to get that thing to the road. I've got an idea."

Karen peered through the dark at the Turtle. She could just make out the glint of moonlight off the purple mask.

"You got it, Dude."

Michelangelo was on his feet and racing back toward the clearing before Karen could blink.

"Come on, ya big spider-ape thing," taunted Mikey. "Come on, over here. Donny wants it to come this way, Dudes!"

"You got it, Mikey."

"This way, Master Splinter, drive it this way…"

"I am trying, my son…"

The answering calls let Karen know the others were still fighting. She let out a sigh, releasing the tension she hadn't realized was building in her chest.

_They're ok. They're all going to be ok._

"Come on, Karen. I've got to figure out how to get the power lines down to road level," said Donatello, taking her arm. "Can you help me? I've… kind of sprained my ankle."

"Sure, Don, lean on me."

The pair made the slow, painful way toward the road. Donatello was obviously trying not to lean too heavily against Karen. Finally she wrapped her arm around his shell at waist-level, forcing him to allow her to support more of his weight. The shy Turtle shifted, as if he'd pull away, but then moved forward with a faint sigh.

They reached the road, where the moonlight wasn't filtered by trees. Crashing sounds told them that the creature was making its way toward them at an alarming rate.

"There." Donatello pointed. The telephone pole stood majestic in the moonlight, the power lines showing as faintly blacker stripes against the dark sky. "I have to figure out how to get up there and get one of those power lines down," he said, sounding a little desperate. Don pulled away from Karen and edged toward the pole.

"Oh no you don't!" she cried, grabbing his arm. "You are not shimmying up a telephone pole with a broken ankle, Donatello!"

"What? It's just a sprain, Karen…"

"Nice try, but if it was just a sprain you'd be fighting with your brothers," she told him grimly. "Besides, I've got another way."

Taking the pistol out of her waistband, she unlatched the safety and took aim. The creature was close now, close enough for Karen to hear it's almost-human moans of anger and distress. Karen concentrated, holding the pistol steady as her father'd taught her.

_Bang!_

There was a shower of sparks and a _thwap_ as the power line, freed from the pole, fell to the ground. More sparks flew, illuminating Donatello as he somersaulted forward, reaching with his staff to lift the deadly, writhing snake-like line and throw it at the oncoming hulk of the monster.

The thing reared up. Karen saw in the flickering illumination cast by the sparks that it had four legs. One arm ended in the strange claw-like appendage, the other in a weird, elongated sort of hand. It reached out with both arms, catching the wire as if it were a lifeline. There was a buzzing as if a thousand angry hornets were attacking at once, and the creature let out one long wailing screech. The smell of burning hair filled the air and it fell back, landing with an almighty _crash_, shaking the ground. It twitched once, and was still.

* * *

**A/N: Ok, if you haven't guessed from the description in this chapter, I'll let you in on the secret. The monster is from Season 3. It appeared in the episode "Dragon's Brew". Its name, if it can be called that is T9584... It was a genetic experiment by Bishop, stolen and set loose by Hun and the Purple Dragons. Leo and Casey fight the thing unsuccessfully, and it's unclear in the end whether the thing survives or not. It's a very sad story, as the creature has memories of when it was human, when Bishop stood up with him at his wedding, and of his wife and child.**

**I am sad that the cartoonists didn't see fit to follow up the story with an additional episode featuring the creature's fate. It really spotlighted for me how depraved Bishop really is, the lengths he's willing to go to, because he's one of the most dangerous types of villains- the kind that thinks he's right and is willing to pursue his vision to the detriment of anyone or anything that stands in his way.**


	36. Chapter 36 Containment

**A/N: The USPSA is a real organization. You can find it at USPSA (dot) org. Having grown up in a hunting family, I am a firm believer in gun safety education, especially for young people.  
*end public service announcement* LOL**

* * *

_**Chapter 36 ~Containment~**_

Slowly, cautiously, Donatello approached the beast. Using his staff, he flicked the cable away from the creature. It lay limp, unmoving, it's glowing eyes closed.

He turned to look at Karen, his eyes wide in the moonlight. "That was a heckofa shot, Karen."

She smiled, her arms sagging to her side. "Junior State USPSA champ, three years running," she replied.

"USPSA?"

"United States Practical Shooting Association. They train young people how to handle a gun properly. My dad was big into shooting sports," she explained.

"Dude, did we win?" Michelangelo approached, his nunchucks clutched in his hands as if he expected the creature to leap to its feet and renew the attack.

"I think it's unconscious, Mikey," replied Donatello, relief evident in his voice. "We're going to have to work fast. We've got to get it contained before it wakes up."

"I'll run back to the house. I still have some fencing and cable in the barn," said Karen. "But Don, what're you going to _do_ with it?"

"I don't know, Karen, but we've got to send it back where it belongs," replied Donatello. "It can't stay here," he finished, half to himself.

Karen shuddered. "That's for sure. Is everyone all right?"

"Splinter's ok," replied Raphael. "I t'ink Leo mighta banged up 'is arm again. Donny busted his ankle when he bounced offa dat tree."

"What about you, Raphael?"

"'m fine."

Something in his tone prompted Karen to go to the red-banded Turtle. She touched his arm and gasped. The hoodie he'd been wearing was hanging in tatters around his shoulders and torso, and his arm was slick with blood.

"I told you to keep that covered and clean," Karen said, deadpan.

"Yeah, well, I got kinda distracted. Ya know, fightin' fer our lives an' all," he retorted.

"Where's Leonardo?" asked Karen, ignoring Raph's biting sarcasm for the moment.

"I'm here, Karen."

She rushed to his side, reaching for his arm. Leonardo grimaced and pulled away.

"You've got to let me check that, Leo," she scolded.

"Karen, containing this thing is our top priority right now. Don will fix my arm. We need you to go, get the materials we need."

The woman swore, but nodded. "All right, but the instant we've got this thing under control, you're _all_ coming back to the house for emergency medical attention.

"You got it."

Michelangelo accompanied Karen. She was grateful for his company and sure footing as they rushed through the woods, back up the field and to her house. The place seemed oddly quiet and peaceful. Karen rushed to the barn, showing Mikey where the fencing material was, and grabbing a coil of heavy cable.

"Do you think this will hold him?" she asked.

"Dudette, I hope so," said Mike fervently.

He hoisted two of the rolls of fencing onto his shoulder, and followed Karen back to the truck. They threw the supplies in the back, and raced down the road, back to where the others were waiting.

Working quickly, Raphael, Michelangelo and Splinter wrapped the creature up in the fencing, tying him into a sort of metal straightjacket with the cables, binding its limbs to its sides and its legs together until even Karen was convinced it would never be able to break free. It took Michelangelo and Raph working together to heave the unconscious monster into the back of Karen's pick up.

"What are we going to do with this thing?" she asked half to herself as she drove the exhausted family back toward the house.

"For tonight, Miss Karen-san, I believe we should place the creature in a stall in your barn. That is our most secure option," answered Splinter. He sounded, for the first time, old. "Then we must explore the possibility of breaking into the laboratory once more."

"You're going to just walk in there with an eight foot tall… whatever that thing is?" Karen glanced at him, exasperated.

"I do not know, Miss Karen-san," replied Splinter, laying his head back against the seat.

"It'll be all right, Splinter," said Karen gently. She reached over and touched his hand. The Rat glanced at her, startled, then smiled.

"Yes, Miss Karen-san. Our family is together."

She met his eyes for a moment, and smiled.

_He really is something else. _

She rolled into the driveway, driving down to the old barn and parking as close to the doors as possible. Raphael and Michelangelo carried the still-unconscious creature into the barn and heaved it into the stall Leonardo had fallen into, a bare two weeks before. Driving the bolt home, Karen prayed silently that the solid oak would be enough to contain the creature, should it break free of the cables and fencing wrapped tightly around its torso.

"I'll take da first watch, Sensei," said Raphael. "'m too wound up ta sleep anyway."

"No, my son. You will go inside with the others and have your injuries tended," replied Splinter calmly. "Michelangelo and I will remain here to guard the creature."

"Eeep!" Mikey squeaked, but his father's look silenced his protest.

Karen smothered a smile. "Come on, you three," she ordered seriously. "Let's get you patched up."

She led the small parade of Turtles into the house. Luke opened the door as they came onto the porch.

"Mom! You're home." He flew forward, wrapping his mother up in a crushing embrace. "Sheriff Darlee brought me home. The doctor says Dad has broken ribs, and his lung is bruised but it didn't collapse, so he should be ok." The words poured forth in a torrent. "They're keeping him until tomorrow."

"Good, good. Come on, you can help me take care of the rest of our casualties," said Karen with a tired smile. She longed to pick up the phone and check with the hospital herself, but she knew John was in capable hands, and the three mutants were in need of care.

She had them line up on kitchen chairs while she assessed their injuries. Donatello had already re-wrapped Leo's arm, but he'd had to resort to using the silken band of Leo's mask as binding. Karen carefully unwrapped the injured limb. Leonardo was stoic and still as she removed the make-shift splint.

"This isn't too bad," she said slowly, feeling the break gently with her fingers. "It hasn't shifted." She glanced up at the Turtle. "The bones are still in place. It won't have to be re-set, and it should heal normally."

"Good," said Leonardo. He grimaced as Karen prepared to re-wrap the arm with strips of clean linen from her first-aid box.

"You'll need to keep that splinted for at least another week," said Karen, glancing at the Turtle. He looked oddly vulnerable without his mask. She gave him a smile. "No heavy lifting. None of your crazy acrobatics. And _no fighting_," she finished firmly, tying the wrap off.

"I'll do my best," said Leonardo. Karen saw the faintest twinkle of humor in his dark eyes.

She shook her head. "You're as bad as your brother," she grumbled, turning to Raphael. He'd managed to remove the remains of the shirt. Karen took one look at his blood-coated arm and sent him to the bathroom for a shower.

Donatello groaned. "I'm sure he got himself cut on purpose," me muttered. "So he could be the first in the shower."

Karen laughed. "I'm _sure_, Don," she teased. "It's all part of his master plan."

"Don't laugh. I wouldn't put it past him," answered the purple-banded Turtle with a faint scowl. He flinched violently when Karen manipulated his foot. "Ow, hey!"

Karen glanced up at him. "Sorry," she said sincerely. "Just a sprain, huh?"

"Well, it might be a _little _broken," admitted Don sheepishly.

Karen snorted. "Is that like being a _little_ pregnant?" she asked.

"Heaven forbid," breathed Don, earning a full guffaw from Karen.

"Donatello, you are all _male_ Turtles, right?" she teased.

"Well, there is that," said Don with a faint smile. Karen had the feeling he was about to say something else, but the Turtle winced theatrically as she gently felt his ankle. "So what's the verdict, Doc, am I gonna live?"

Karen glanced up at him. She had the distinct feeling he'd purposely changed the subject. She shrugged, letting it go.

_Who knows what goes through teenagers' minds?_

"Well, I'm a surgeon, not an orthopedist," said Karen, "But I think it's just cracked. I don't feel any bone displacement. With a good tight wrap you should be ok in a couple weeks."

"Good." Donatello nodded.

She wound strips of linen around his ankle, careful to give it good support for walking. When she'd finished, Don stood up, testing his weight gingerly.

"It doesn't feel too bad," he said with a smile. "Thanks, Karen."

"No problem, Don. Why don't you grab a plastic bag from the laundry room so you can get in the shower? No offense, but you guys all smell like burnt hair."

"Ugh, I know."

"Do you think that thing will survive?"

"It's pretty tough," answered Don. "I just hope the fencing and cable can hold it."

"Me too," answered Karen.

Raphael strode into the kitchen, a towel knotted around his shell. Karen opened her mouth to ask why he'd bothered to cover himself with a towel when they normally wore nothing but masks and pads, but thought the better of it.

He sank down into a chair while Donatello went off on a quest for a plastic bag. Leonardo had disappeared and Karen heard water running. She almost laughed. Obviously Leo'd used his ninja skills to slip into the shower before his younger brother.

Karen examined the gashes on Raphael's arm. "This one's not too bad, but you've made this one worse," she told him, feeling the edges gently with her fingers. Raphael shot her a look from amber eyes.

"Ya gotta stitch it?" he asked, unflinching.

Karen shook her head. "I don't think so," she said. "I've got some surgical tape. I can pull the edges together and if you keep it tightly wrapped, you shouldn't need stitches."

Raph grunted his assent. Karen fetched the supplies and set about pushing the wounds closed. She was as gentle as she could be, but he hissed softly when she pressed on the larger gash.

"What's this?" Karen frowned. "Oh my…" She stared. "Raphael, you've got something embedded here."

"Well, yer gonna hafta take it out, right?" he asked. Karen glanced at him. "I know _dat_ much," he told her gruffly. "I don't need no infection."

"Yes. It's got to come out," said Karen. She hesitated. "It's going to hurt."

"'m fine. Let's jus' get dis done."

Karen shook her head, but put a pot of water on to boil and fetched the tweezers from her bedroom. The minor surgery took only a few minutes. Karen withdrew a long sliver of tree bark from the wound. Making a face, she dropped it into the trash and set the tweezers into the sink. She met the terrapin's amber gaze.

"Sorry."

"It's ok."

Karen cleaned and wrapped his arm, careful to get the edges of the wounds lined up before she laid the tape over them. Raphael watched her with mild interest as she finished patching his arm.

With everyone treated and settling in for the evening, Karen headed out to the barn to check on Michelangelo and Splinter. To Karen's great relief, the creature in the stall was silent. It was still and its eyes were closed, though its chest rose and fell regularly.

"How're you guys doing out here?"

"We are fine, Miss Karen-san."

"Yeah, except there's like… no video games out here. Or snacks, or _anything_," added Michelangelo. "Guard duty is like, totally boring."

"Splinter, if you'd like, I can stay with you for a while. Michelangelo should get some rest," suggested Karen gently.

Dark eyes flickered to the woman. Splinter sighed faintly. "Very well. You may go, my son."

"Woohoo, thanks Karen!" Michelangelo bounded up like a puppy being let off its leash.

"No problem, Mikey."

"Michelangelo, tell your brothers they must get some rest and choose among yourselves who will stand the next watch. I want you in pairs at all times."

"Sure, Sensei, no problem."

Mikey disappeared out the door as if school had been let out for the day.

"Have you decided what to do next, Splinter?" asked Karen, sitting down on a hay bale across from the Rat.

"No, Miss Karen-san," replied Splinter softly. "The creature's size makes returning it to the lab… difficult."

"It'd be pretty hard to get that thing inside unseen," responded Karen thoughtfully. "Even for you guys."

"Indeed."

"Well… that… laser-thing… it's not _so_ big," she said slowly. "What if we could find a way to bring it here?"

"I do not know if the physical location has any effect on the ray's function," said Splinter slowly. "I will have to discuss the possibility with Donatello."

Karen nodded.

The door creaked, and swung open, revealing Donatello and Leonardo. Don was using his bo staff as a sort of walking stick.

"We've come to keep watch, Sensei," said Leonardo quietly.

Splinter nodded, standing and stretching. He looked at his younger son. "Donatello, Miss Karen-san has raised a possibility. Do you believe the portal device would be effective if it were moved to another location? Perhaps here, in this barn?"

Don hesitated. Karen could see the calculations working behind his eyes.

"…I… don't see why not," he replied slowly. "Yeah… yeah, that _could_ work. We could bring it here, set it up in the barn…"

The Rat nodded. "It is settled then. Tomorrow we will attempt to retrieve the device."


	37. Chapter 37 Haig

_**Chapter 37 ~Haig~**_

Karen clutched her teacup close, her shoulders tense. She shuddered as another roar rattled the windows. _Doesn't that thing ever get tired?_ She thought. _It hasn't shut up all morning._

The monster in the barn had woken up sometime in the early dawn hours, and it had been making its displeasure at captivity known ever since with ear-splitting roars and shrieks. The fencing-and-cable straightjacket seemed to be holding up, but no one suggested entering the stall to try and rig a gag or muzzle to silence the miserable creature. They were simply to battered, too bruised, and the thing still far too dangerous, to make any such attempt, so they tried to ignore the racket.

"It sounds… almost as if it's… crying," said Karen, looking up at Leonardo who sat across the table with a stoic expression.

He nodded. "I know."

"It's eerie," continued Karen. "It sounds almost… human."

"Well hopefully we can send it back to where it belongs," said Leonardo grimly. He took a sip of his tea. "It can't be happy to be here. Aside from being trapped in that stall, I mean." He met her eyes briefly.

"Leo," said Karen suddenly, reaching across the table to lay her hand on his uninjured wrist. "You know I'm really sorry about the way we met, don't you? I mean, about pointing the gun at you. I… wouldn't have actually shot you."

Leonardo blinked. He stared for an instant, then shook his head with a rueful chuckle. "I wouldn't actually have run you through with my katana, either," he told her.

A startled laugh escaped her. "Good to know."

Leonardo smiled. He stood up and put his empty cup in the sink. "Well, I'd better see what the others are up to," he said. "We need to plan."

Karen nodded. "Do you think we should try to… I don't know, feed that thing or something?"

Leo shook his head, looking horrified. "Don't go near it, Karen. It's a monster."

She nodded. _When we met, I was afraid you were a monster too. But you earned my trust. This thing is violent and dangerous. Nothing at all like you._

"Don't worry, I won't try to go near it."

The Turtle relaxed. "Good." He nodded decisively, and headed out of the room, leaving Karen to smile wryly to herself.

_I feel as though I've just been lectured,_ she thought. _I suppose these boys do have more experience with mythical monsters than the average person. _

John arrived later that morning. Karen greeted him at the door, enveloping him in a gentle hug. He was wearing a soft cotton tee shirt that hung loosely over the bulge of the wrap supporting his cracked ribs. He sported an impressive black eye and the entire side of his face was mottled with dark brown and reddish bruising. The arm he wrapped around Karen's shoulders was similarly patterned.

"I'm so glad you're ok, Karen." His voice was soft, hoarse.

"You shouldn't be up and around, John. If your lung is bruised, you're supposed to be resting." Karen scolded, stepping back to look up into his face. He forced a painful, lopsided smile. "How did you even get out of the hospital?"

"I checked myself out... much to the displeasure of the staff, I might add, but I had to be sure you and Luke were ok. And the others. Are they all right?"

"Everyone's fine," Karen assured him. "Minor injuries, but nothing life-threatening. Donatello's cracked a bone in his ankle, Raphael had a pretty nasty laceration to his bicep, and Leonardo's arm had to be re-splinted, but overall, they came through it really well."

"And the creature? Did they kill it?"

"No. It's contained in the barn at the moment."

"They brought that thing _here_?" John stared, horrified.

"No, John," replied Karen, bristling. "_They_ didn't do anything. _We_ brought it here, yes. It's secured, and locked in one of the stalls in the barn. They've been up all night, taking shifts guarding it, to make sure it doesn't get loose. We've been discussing how we're going to get that laser-thing, to send them all home again, including the creature."

"Why on earth didn't they just kill it?" John sputtered. "Why let something like that live?"

"We do not take a life unless we must, John Vincent-san." Splinter's voice made Karen jump. She hadn't heard the Rat come up behind them. He was frowning, watching her husband.

"But… that thing… it's a monster!" John was beginning to get angry. Karen could see the red creeping up his cheeks.

"It is lost in a world it does not understand," replied Splinter calmly.

"It's an abomination! It should be destroyed!"

"John Vincent-san, there are those who believe the same of my sons and myself. That we are monsters, to be destroyed. That we are… abominations, and dangerous. And, they are correct. We _are_ dangerous. Should we destroy the creature for the same reasons?"

"No, Splinter, I mean, you're different. You're _sentient_," John shook his head. "You don't attack randomly…"

"We do not know the creature's reason for attacking," replied Splinter gently. "It may have felt threatened. A life, taken, cannot be restored."

"You're crazy." John's voice was flat.

"John!" Karen turned on her ex-husband. "If you're here to insult Splinter, you can just turn around and leave right now."

"It is all right, Karen-san. He is worried for you. For his son. I, also, fear for the safety of my sons, as long as that creature exists in this dimension," said Splinter. "I wish to return it to its rightful place as soon as possible."

"Well, let's get rid of it," said John. "Destroy it or send it back where it belongs, I don't care, but it can't stay here."

"We've got to get hold of that device," said Karen, glaring at her ex. "We're going to have to break back into the lab and get it. Donatello thinks if we bring it here, we should be able to send them _all_ home."

"You're… going to steal the device?" John turned to stare at Karen as if she'd lost her mind. She returned his gaze steadily. Finally he sighed, lifting his hands in surrender. "All right. If you won't kill it, I suppose I don't have a choice. I'll help you. They can take my card. But security around that lab is sure to be beefed up after the incident the other night. I'm afraid it won't be easy to get in."

"We are ninja, John Vincent-san," replied Splinter calmly.

John looked at the Rat, doubt showing clearly. "Good luck."

* * *

Splinter and Leonardo decided it would be best to move on Santino in the dark. Karen found herself once again volunteering for the position of chauffeur/getaway driver. At first Leonardo resisted the suggestion, but Karen pointed out the necessity of having someone healthy to drive the truck. With himself and two of his brothers already injured, Leonardo reluctantly conceded the point. In the end, it was decided that Donatello would have to go along as a technical advisor, though he was firmly warned not to attempt to fight unless it became necessary to defend himself. Leonardo shrugged off a similar warning. Karen had seen him performing katas one-handed in the field, so she was reasonably reassured he could manage. Raphael didn't seem to feel the gash in his bicep. Karen began to wonder if she should've opted for sturdier stitches over the tape, but it was too late now.

"Raphael, I swear, if you tear open that wound again," she warned, glaring, "I'll tie you to a bed until it's healed!"

"Whatevah," growled Raph, spinning his sai on his wrist before tucking it into his belt.

Karen sighed. The little group piled into Karen's truck once more. John flatly refused to accompany them, and insisted on taking Luke back to his place, despite the boy's protests.

"I'm not leaving you here alone with that _thing_," snapped John. A rumbling growl could be heard clearly from the barn. Captivity didn't seem to be weakening the creature, though it had calmed somewhat.

Karen took Luke's shoulders, holding them firmly. "Luke, your dad's right," she told him. "I don't want you anywhere near that thing if it should happen to get loose. Go with John. We'll be back soon, I promise."

"I could _help_," protested Luke.

Karen shook her head. "Luke, the guys are ninjas. They're trained fighters. We've got to let them do this." From the corner of her eye, she caught Splinter's smile. "It's going to be ok. Trust me. Trust _them._"

Luke nodded slowly. "All right, Mom."

She watched as he climbed into his father's car and they drove off.

Turning to the family, she forced a grim smile. "Let's go."

Karen sat, fiddling with John's key card, and blew out a sigh of frustration. Even though there seemed to be no sign of activity outside the building, no extra guards posted, no security patrols, Leo'd insisted on taking a less-direct approach this time.

_How're they going to scale that wall, with Leonardo and Raphael's injured arms and Donatello with a broken ankle?_ She mused. _This is ridiculous. I know they're ninjas, but come on. Do they really expect to climb the wall with those little spike things? What did they call them? Shuko spikes? Ugh. They're going to end up falling off and _really_ hurting themselves…_

Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by a sharp tap on the driver's side window. Karen jumped, turning to stare into the yellowish eyes of a slight man wearing a white lab coat. His narrow, wrinkled face was framed by a shock of white hair.

Cautiously, Karen rolled the window down a few inches.

"What are you doing here? You can't park here," the man snapped irritably. "This is a restricted area. I could have you arrested."

"What? Oh! Oh, well I, um…" Karen thought fast. "I'm looking for a Doctor Stephen Haig," she said. "My husband, John Vincent, works here with him."

The man's eyes widened slightly. For an instant, an alarming feral look flashed across his face, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by a courteous mask. His thin lips turned up in a smile.

"Oh, well that's very interesting. I'm sorry for my presumptuous behavior, Mrs. Vincent. Security, you know. We can never be too careful! No, indeed. I am Doctor Haig."

"Oh! Oh… umm, it's… it's nice to meet you, Doctor," said Karen. She opened the door and climbed out, offering a hand to the man. He clasped her fingers in a firm, cold, bony grip that sent shivers racing down Karen's spine. "I… I came by to let you know, John was in an accident. He would have called but his cell phone was lost…"

"Quite all right, quite all right, my dear," The scientist's eyes sparkled strangely in the light from the lamppost. "I do hope Mr. Vincent is not badly injured."

"No… well, he's broken some ribs and he's badly bruised, but he'll be all right," said Karen. "Obviously he won't be in to work for a while."

"Of course. But there is some paperwork to be filled out in such instances. Won't you come inside?" The scientist took Karen's elbow, steering her toward the lab.

"Well, I really should be getting back," Karen said. The man was giving her the creeps.

"It won't take but a moment, Mrs. Vincent, I assure you. Paperwork… it is the backbone of bureaucracy, after all," Haig smiled. "And it will save John quite a lot of trouble, if it's filed on time, yes indeed. The proper papers must be filed in a case like this, so that his health insurance can be processed. If the paperwork isn't filled out, the administration might assume he's simply walked off the job, and we can't have that, now can we?"

"I… suppose." Karen nodded. Paperwork was something she understood, with her years at the hospital. A lost form could delay a patient's insurance claim for months.

Haig slipped his card into the key slot, and Karen preceded him into the building. To her relief, all seemed quiet. The Turtles hadn't been discovered, yet.

"This way, my dear." Haig led her down the hall toward his lab. "The administrative offices are at the end of this hall," he said, glancing over his shoulder. Karen was increasingly nervous. Something in the man's manner, as much as the proximity to the lab where the boys were hopefully attempting to liberate the device to take them home again, was jangling her nerves.

Outside the door to the lab, Haig paused. "I just need to step in here a moment," he said. "Perhaps you'd like to see where your husband does most of his work?"

"No!" The word leapt from Karen's mouth before she could stop herself.

Haig turned to her, raising a brushy white eyebrow.

"That is," Karen forced a smile. "I'm… in a hurry. To get back to John. He was in such pain… I don't want to leave him alone…"

The scientist's lips were curling in a slow, sinister smile. Stepping back from the door, he turned to face Karen, drawing his hand from the pocket of his lab coat. Karen felt as if the warmth had drained from her body. In the man's hand was a small, snub-nosed pistol. He held it with the ease of long familiarity. Karen was certain Haig was an expert shot, in spite of the delicate look of his bony hands.

Hearing a rumbling chuckle behind her, Karen turned her head far enough to see a huge form loom out of the shadows.

_Hun! _

"But… how?" she stammered.

Haig ignored her question. "I think John will do just fine on his own for a bit." He gestured toward the door. "And I suspect I have some unexpected visitors. Let's go inside and greet them properly, shall we, my dear?"


	38. Chapter 38 Standoff

_**Chapter 38 ~Standoff~**_

Karen mentally recited as many curses as she could think of, squirming in the doctor's grip. He'd taken her upper arm and moved behind her, wrapping his other arm over the front of her shoulder and planting the nose of his pistol firmly against her neck.

"Now, I think we're prepared for any surprises my guests might try to spring."

"I can handle 'em, Haig. Let me go first," rumbled Hun.

"No. Now, Mrs. Vincent, open the door. Slowly," he instructed.

Karen squirmed. His breath was hot on her neck and stank of pastrami and onions. She could hear Hun muttering under his breath behind Doctor Haig. He nudged her sharply with the pistol, squeezing her arm in a warning. She reached forward, turning the knob as slowly as she could, hoping to give the Turtles warning. Suddenly, Haig shoved her sharply forward, kicking the door at the same time so that it swung open. Karen stumbled into the room, still firmly held in his iron grip. There was a flash of movement to her right as Hun shot into the room.

"Look out, Haig has a gun!" she shouted.

Haig jerked her to the side, pressing his own back against the wall and turning so that he was using Karen's body as a make-shift shield. Not that he needed her. Hun was blocking both of them with his bulk.

Karen caught sight of Leonardo in a fighting crouch, his single katana drawn, his eyes dark with fury behind his mask. Her breath caught. He looked wild, dangerous, _Like a monster_,the thought flashed through Karen's mind as Hun lumbered forward. Leo avoided his strike easily, dodging aside and throwing a wild spin kick that sent the massive man stumbling back a pace.

She squirmed, desperate to break free from the scientist's grip.

_He might shoot me, but at least it might give them a fighting chance. If Leo beats Hun, he still has to deal with Haig…_

Haig twisted her arm painfully and jabbed the gun against her neck.

"Stop!" He shouted. "If you attack, the woman dies."

Leonardo had landed and was facing Hun. He quivered with tension, but he hesitated, his narrowed eyes flicking between Haig and Hun.

"Give it up, Turtle," growled Hun, smirking. "You can't do nothin' unless you want Doc to shoot yer friend."

Leo's katana came up and his muscles bunched as he prepared to launch at Hun.

"Leonardo!" Splinter's voice snapped through the tension like the crack of a whip.

Leo glanced to his left, and lowered his sword. "Let her go," he growled to Haig.

Karen turned her head far enough to see Splinter off to the left. His stance mirrored Leonardo's, though his hands were empty. Karen had the distinct feeling he didn't need a sword. His glare alone should've been enough to take the man down.

Behind him, Donatello was leaning on his bo as if it were a crutch, scowling with the same fury that reflected from his brother and father's eyes. Karen couldn't see Raphael or Michelangelo. Hun noticed the absence too.

"There should be four," he growled. "Where are the other _freaks?_"

Haig tightened his hold on Karen's neck.

"Where are the others?"

No one answered. The man shifted, staring around the room.

"Where are they?" he asked again.

"Let her go," ordered Leonardo again, his sword rising slightly.

The man's eyes snapped to the Turtle's face. His fingers moved slightly on Karen's arm.

"You care what happens to her. So I was right, she _is _connected with you mutants. I thought it was entirely too large a coincidence, her being here."

While Haig's attention was distracted, Karen stared toward Splinter and Donatello. Hun was still having a stare-down with Leonardo. Don's eyes flickered toward the window he was next to, and Karen saw him making a dampening motion with his hand, as if to silence someone outside.

_Of course,_ she thought. _That's where Mike and Raphael are. _She noticed with a start that the device they'd come to find was also missing. _They must've gotten it out already. I don't understand how, I didn't see them… well at least they have the machine. Now if they can just get out of here, they can go home._

Karen shifted, trying to ease the pressure of the pistol against her neck. She was certain a bruise was forming. Haig jerked her arm, warning her to be still, and she retaliated instinctively, kicking at his shin. The man yelped, and the hand holding the gun jerked dangerously. Hun glanced at them, his attention distracted for an instant.

Leonardo surged forward with a growl, but Hun whirled, striking out. Leonardo blocked the blow, swinging one leg out and sweeping Hun off his feet. The man landed with a roar and a _crash. _He was on his feet in an instant, lunging at Leonardo, who blocked again and returned with a powerful strike.

Splinter leapt nimbly toward Haig, but the man was too quick. He stepped to one side to avoid further contact with Karen's heel, dragging her along and keeping her positioned between himself and the angry Rat. With a flick of his thumb, he cocked the pistol.

The _click_ stole the oxygen from Karen's lungs, and she froze.

_Luke, I'm sorry…_

"Stop." rasped Haig. "Unless you'd like to see your friend's jugular irretrievably damaged by a bullet. Arterial blood makes _such_ a mess, don't you agree? So much better to keep Karen's bodily fluids contained, don't you think, Leonardo?"

"You have us at a disadvantage," growled Splinter. "We do not know you, and yet you seem to be familiar with us."

"Ah, yes, Splinter. The Rat," Haig shifted, and the pressure against Karen's neck eased slightly. Turning her head, she could see the man's smirk from the corner of her eye. "I was warned about _you_."

"Then you realize that you should release Miss Vincent-san," replied Splinter coldly. "So that we might end this peaceably."

Hun scrambled to his feet, glaring. He circled Leonardo, looking for an opening. Donatello moved forward, bringing his bo staff into position, but Leo made a motion with his hand, warning his brother to stay back.

Hun lunged, and Leonardo met his strike with a counter strike and a kick that sent him reeling back. Donatello followed with a flying kick.

"Donny!" Leonardo flew forward in time to catch his brother as he landed, taking some of the weight so he didn't come down on his injured ankle.

While the Turtles were occupied, Hun surged forward, a glint in his eyes. Leonardo scrambled out from under his brother in time to block another strike and land a punch that snapped Hun's head back. The huge man stumbled backward, crashing into the wall and sinking to the floor with a groan. The Turtles turned toward Haig once more.

Haig laughed, a cold, dry sound. "_You_ don't seem to realize who you're dealing with," he snarled. "So you've defeated Hun. I still have the woman. I think you will cooperate. You creatures are going to retrieve the device and return it to this lab. Then I think, since you have incapacitated my assistant, you will assist me with my other little project."

"What project?" Donatello spoke up, scrambling to his feet.

"Ah, Donatello. The brains of this group, or so I'm told," replied Haig. Karen felt the man shiver, but from fear or excitement she couldn't tell. "I'm afraid I don't require your _brain_ so much as your brawn," he said with a chuckle. "A certain… experiment… has escaped. Hun has been assisting me with the retrieval, but so far, our attempts have been unsuccessful. Once the creature is in my custody, we can discuss the possibility of returning you to your own dimension."

"You want to send us home?" Leonardo scoffed.

"Indeed." The scientist turned his attention to the blue-banded Turtle. Karen was getting tired of her forced proximity to the man. The pastrami smell was making her faintly ill. "You certainly don't belong here," he said, sounding almost sincere. "Surely you wish to return."

"I doubt you care what we want," responded Leo, glaring. "And do you really believe Hun will just agree to let us go home?" He gestured toward the semi-conscious man. "You're outnumbered. Now, let Karen go."

Haig chuckled. "Perceptive, for a freak of nature," he said smoothly. "It's true, I certainly don't care what you creatures want, or for that matter, what Hun wants. So far his desires have, happily, coincided with mine. Hun cooperated with me to achieve his own aims. I think you will do the same. You were not part of the agreement I made with him, and so I am under no obligation to turn you over to him. You wish to return to your own dimension, and I want you back where you belong, and out of my hair, as it were. As soon as I am in possession of the creature, you will be free to go."

"What do you want with this… experiment?" Donatello's eyes narrowed, watching the man.

"To study it, of course," Haig responded smoothly. "It's an advanced example of genetic manipulation, a scientific oddity of incredible proportions…"

"You want to study _it_, and not us?" interrupted Don, studying the doctor as if he couldn't quite figure something out.

Haig shifted slightly behind Karen. "You are unique," he responded. "Your existence is an unrepeatable anomaly, of no interest to me scientifically."

"You want to study the creature…" Donatello shifted into a fighting stance, his bo coming up. "You're crazy." He was watching the man with a disgusted, horrified expression. "You want to recreate it!"

Haig chuckled. "Perceptive," he repeated. "I should have guessed _you_ would puzzle out my intentions. What do you say? The creature for your friend?" He jerked Karen, pressing the gun tightly against her neck.

Karen closed her eyes, remembering that the pistol was cocked. A wave of fear made her limbs tremble.

_Guys, get me out of this,_ she thought desperately. _Please… Luke still needs me._


	39. Chapter 39 Deal With a Devil

_**Chapter 39 ~Deal with a Devil~**_

There was a _swish_ and a thunk, and Haig cried out in surprise. The hand holding Karen's arm released her suddenly, and his arm came around her waist, trapping her arm against her side, and jerking her back against him. The gun jerked painfully against her neck.

There was a flurry of movement in the room, and a _bang_. Karen felt as if she were floating, unable to feel her feet against the floor.

_Is this what dying feels like?_ She thought.

"Raphael!"

A shout made her open her eyes again. The red-banded Turtle was kneeling in the middle of the room, one hand pressed to his arm. The bandages were slowly turning the color of his mask, but he didn't seem to notice. His amber eyes were fixed on Haig, fury showing in every line of his tense shoulders and clenched fist. Leonardo was at his side, his eyes on his brother though his katana was pointed toward Haig.

"It's ok, Leo. 'm fine," growled Raph.

The pistol was pressed back at Karen's neck, burning her skin, before she realized that she had not been shot. Haig was trembling with tension. His arm was clamped tight around her waist, holding her in place.

"Raphael!" Karen's shout came out as a whimper, her fear for herself forgotten at the sight of the red-banded Turtle's blood.

"It's ok, Karen. He missed," growled Raph, climbing slowly to his feet, supported by his brother. Beyond them, Michelangelo was crouched on the windowsill, his nunchucks clutched in his fists.

"I did not _miss_, Turtle," responded Haig coldly. "It was a warning shot. The next time, I will not be so… merciful."

"Let 'er _go_, Haig," snapped Raph.

"Are we going to waste yet _more_ time?" asked Haig. "Do you agree to my proposal or not?"

"We agree," said Splinter suddenly. "Release Miss Vincent-san."

"I think not, Rat," sneered Haig. "The woman here is my insurance. You will retrieve the device and return it here, to the lab, now."

"Wait," Donatello held up his hand, limping forward. "We have what you're looking for. We've captured the creature. That's why we came for the device."

"You… have the creature?" Haig's grip loosened slightly on Karen's waist, but he still had the pistol.

"Yes," Donatello nodded. "It's contained. We'll take you to it. But first you have to let Karen go."

"I think not," said Haig softly. "All right. We will go to the creature. I will see that it is secure, and then we will return here to send you home again."

"Look, da t'ing is heavy, an' it's already loaded in Karen's truck," interrupted Raphael, sounding tired. "Let's jus' take it ta da barn like we planned. Ya can get da monster, an' we can go home."

"No. Hun will carry the device back up here, to the lab," answered Haig, glaring.

"What?" Hun stirred, moaning.

"Get up, you great lummox," growled Haig. "You've got to go down to the parking lot and carry the interdimensional window emitter back up here."

"No way," growled Hun. "The freaks carried it down. They can carry it back up." He lumbered to his feet, glaring.

Haig considered him. He nodded once. "All right. You," he pointed to Raphael. "And you, Michelangelo. Hun, you will accompany them, just to be sure nothing _unfortunate_, happens to the machine."

"Wait, what about Karen?" Michelangelo piped up. "You're gonna let her go, right?"

"Of course." Haig sounded so sincere, if it hadn't been for Hun's chuckle, Karen might have almost believed he was truthful. "I don't mean any harm to your human friend. She's simply my… insurance, against any rash actions you might think of."

"Come on, freaks," growled Hun. "Let's go get the professor's toy. I'll pick out a nice _comfortable_ dimension ta drop you Turtles inta." He gestured toward the door. Raphael and Michelangelo moved reluctantly.

Karen's eyes flicked to each of her friends in turn. Donatello's expression was unreadable, unemotional. Leonardo looked murderous. Splinter moved aside, watching Leonardo and Michelangelo file out of the room.

"A wise decision. Of course, you really have no choice," said Haig, smirking.

Karen fidgeted, squirming in Haig's grip.

"Release Mrs. Vincent-san, Haig," growled Splinter.

"You're hardly in a position to make demands, rodent." Haig smirked.

"If you wish for our cooperation, Doctor, you would do well to release our friend," responded Splinter. His eyes could have burned holes in concrete.

Haig hesitated. "No," he said finally. "If I let her go, you'll simply attack me. No, I'll let her go once the creature is secure."

Sweat slid down Karen's neck, stinging when it reached the place where the pistol was pressed against her neck. Time seemed to stretch out. Splinter's eyes never left Haig. Leonardo was watching the door. Donatello shifted uneasily.

There was a sound outside the door. Haig's hand tightened on Karen's arm. The others turned, trembling with tension. Leonardo's katana came up automatically, and Karen saw Donatello's hand tighten on his bo. Her attention was distracted when the door flew open, bouncing off the wall with a _bang._ A movement at Karen's elbow had her twisting in his grip, gasping. Haig's startled cry rang out as the gun was yanked away from her neck. For the second time that night, a retort rang out, the shockwave leaving Karen's ears ringing. Haig's body fell away from her, his arm falling away from her waist.

Karen staggered forward, feeling suddenly cold. Another arm came around her, steadying her, and she looked up into chocolate-brown eyes surrounded by a purple mask.

"Hiya, Karen. Are you ok?"

Karen could just make out Donatello's soft voice through the buzzing in her ears. She glanced behind her, shuddering as she saw Haig's body lying sprawled on the floor. With a little gasp, she fell forward, stumbling against Donatello. Her arms went automatically around his shell, and she clung to him, sobs shaking her.

Don hugged her, patting her back a bit awkwardly. "Umm, Sensei?"

"Are you all right, Miss Karen-san?"

Karen straightened, releasing Don. She noticed he was blushing, and a half-hysterical giggle escaped her.

"I'm sorry, Don," she said softly, before turning to face Splinter. He was watching her, concerned. She drew a shuddering breath. "I'm all right now, Splinter, thanks to Donatello."

"What happened to Hun?" Don gently disengaged himself from Karen's hug, and slid his bo into the holder on his back.

"He's in da parkin' lot wit' a headache," growled Raphael. "We left 'im tied up."

Splinter nodded. "Let us leave, before this man awakens."

"Wait, Sensei," Don held up a hand. "We should take him with us. We may need him."

"What on earth for?" asked Karen, edging back away from Doctor Haig's limp form. She shivered, reaching up to rub the spot where the gun had pressed into her neck.

"Better keep dat clean an' covered," growled a low voice next to her.

Karen jumped again, whirling to face Raphael. He smirked and she glared at him.

"I see _you_ listened really well," she told him, glancing at his arm. The bandage was nearly soaked through now.

"Well excuse _me_ fer bein' more worried abou' savin' yer life than m' arm," growled Raph, his eyes narrowing behind the mask.

"Why'd you throw that sai, Raph," interrupted Leonardo. "We had it under control until you jumped in."

"Oh, yeah, Fearless, I could see dat. You had _everyt'in_ under control, wit' dis nut holdin' a gun ta Karen's head an' all." Raphael nudged the unconscious scientist sharply with his foot.

"Guys, can we continue this _later?_" Donatello sounded so exasperated, Karen almost laughed. He was maneuvering to the man's side, and moved to kneel.

"Oh no ya don't, Genius," snapped Raphael, catching his arm and hauling him to his feet. "Not wit' dat ankle."

"Raph, cut it out…"

"Your brother is right, Donatello," said Splinter. The Rat knelt beside Haig, rolling him over and pulling his wrists together behind his back. He wound a length of leather thong from his belt around the man's hands, binding them efficiently. "Come. We must leave this place."

"Dudes, there ain't much room in Karen's truck," pointed out Michelangelo. "He ain't sitting in _my_ lap."

"And what do we do with Hun?" asked Leonardo.

"We'll send him back, and take Haig with us," said Donatello decisively. "Come on."

"We still won't fit in the truck," pointed out Michelangelo.

"We'll take Haig's car. There's no sense in leaving it here to attract attention," said Leonardo. "Come on. We've got to get out of here."

They made it unseen down the hall, before Leonardo held up a hand to stop their forward movement. He slipped ahead around the corner, and there was a quick scuffle and several thumps and muted grunts. The Turtle reappeared as silently as he'd gone, and motioned for them to move ahead once again. Karen came around the corner, and gasped. Two security guards lay slumped against the wall. To her relief, Karen saw their chests moving. They were breathing, just unconscious.

"Come on," said Leo grimly. "They won't be out long."

He led the way to the door, pushed it open, glancing around outside to be sure the coast was clear. They reached Karen's truck without incident. Between the car and the truck, Hun was lying in a heap, his wrists bound uncomfortably behind his back.

"Donny, can you work this thing?" asked Leonardo.

"I hope so," said Don fervently.

Raphael and Michelangelo moved forward, dragging Hun out into the open while Donatello pushed a button on the machine. It made a strange humming, whining sound, and the end of the shaft began to glow. In a moment, an oddly shaped patch of light appeared.

"Ready, Donny?" Raphael asked.

Donatello nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be," he said grimly. Karen caught sight of a landscape in the window… buildings dotted a darkening sky in the distance. The window seemed to open on a rooftop, looking out over the city.

Raphael hauled the big man to his feet. Hun stumbled, groaning. The Turtle gave him an unceremonious push forward into the beam. Karen saw his eyes go wide.

"Oh crud, not again…"

There was a blinding flash, and Hun was gone.


	40. Chapter 40 Persuasion

**A/N: Annnnnnnd, I'm back! Montrose was, as always, more fun than should be legal. The hitchikers in Montrose wear Duck hats! LOL Y-eah... one of those "you had to be there" stories. heh**

**THANKIES to Danni for rocking my world once again and posting while I was away! hugs**

**On with the show...**

**

* * *

**_**Chapter 40 ~Persuasion~**_

"Duuude. Do you think it worked?" asked Michelangelo.

"I sure hope so, Mikey," said Donatello softly. "All this jostling... I'm afraid the machine may have to be recalibrated before we try again."

"Well, obviously it worked once, if Haig was able to bring him back here," said Leonardo. He turned and glanced at the sedan parked next to the truck.

"Don, can you drive it?"

"Depends. Is it stick or automatic?" asked Donatello seriously.

Karen glanced through the window of the sedan and groaned. "It's a stick shift," she said. "Don't tell me, none of you can drive stick?"

"Umm, Donny's the only one of us who's driven before," responded Michelangelo, sounding worried. "Can't we just throw the scientist dude in the back of Karen's truck?"

"We can not risk him escaping if he wakes," said Splinter.

"Tell you what," _What am I saying?_ Karen thought even as the words left her mouth. "I can drive stick. Don, if you _promise_ to be careful, you can drive the truck. Now, let's get _out_ of here. Those security guards aren't going to stay out forever."

"Sounds good. Don't worry, Karen." Donatello's grin was just a little too eager.

Karen groaned inwardly. Living with a teenager, she recognized the excitement of a new driver given a chance to get behind the wheel.

_I just hope he can make it back to the house without putting the truck in a ditch,_ she thought, climbing into the doctor's car. Raphael reached through the open window, dropping the keys into her lap.

"Might need those," he said with a smirk.

"Thanks."

"Anytime." Raphael pulled the back door open and unceremoniously shoved the unconscious man into the back seat.

Karen reached for the door handle. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," she protested, scrambling to climb out of the car. "You didn't say anything about riding with _him._"

"Karen, we have to _go_," insisted Leonardo. Donatello was already in the truck's driver's seat. Michelangelo and Splinter had piled into the rear seat, and Leo was making his way toward the passenger side. He paused, looking over his shoulder at the woman. "We don't have time to debate…"

"I'll ride wit' ya, Karen." Raphael moved to the passenger side of the car, climbing in.

Slowly, Karen nodded. "All right," she said, reluctantly climbing back into the vehicle. With one more nervous glance over her shoulder at the scientist, she buckled her seat belt and stuck the key in the ignition.

"Don't worry, Karen. He ain't gonna hurt ya," said Raphael.

Karen shot him an annoyed glance, but he returned her gaze with no sign of sarcasm for a change.

"Thanks, Raphael," she said.

The Turtle's mouth twitched in a grin. "No problem."

The drive back to the house was short and tense. Karen kept glancing in the rearview mirror, tensing every time the man in the back seat stirred. He moaned softly.

"Keep yer eyes on da road, Karen, I'm watchin' 'im, don't worry," said Raphael, half turning in his seat, a sai clenched in his hand. He was glaring at the man.

"Is he awake?"

"Nah."

Karen glanced at her passenger. He met her eyes. "He ain't awake. I promise. It's ok. I ain't gonna let 'im get ya."

She gave Raphael a wry grin. "Seems to me that's what you said to your brother about _me_," she told him.

"What?" Raph frowed.

"You told Michelangelo you wouldn't let… hmm, how did you put it? The big bad human, get him. The first day you guys showed up," she said. She had trouble containing her laughter at the expression on Raphael's face.

Suddenly he smirked. "Yeah. Guess I did. Heh."

Karen controlled her giggles with an effort. _Guess I'm still a bit hysterical. Having a gun held to your neck will do that to a person,_ she thought.

"You ok?" Raphael was watching her. His intense amber eyes were disconcerting.

"I'm fine."

"Karen, I'm sorry dat guy grabbed ya."

She could spare him no more than a fleeting glance. Donatello's jerky start and liberal use of the brakes as she followed him down the road at a pace that would've barely outstripped a snail took most of her attention. Apparently he was taking her admonition to be careful seriously.

"It wasn't your fault, Raphael."

"Well, if we hadn't o' shown up, dis wouldn't o' happened," he retorted.

Karen took one hand off the wheel and reached out to grip his three fingers for a moment. "Raphael, even if you guys hadn't been able to get me away from Haig," she said, repressing a shiver. "No matter how things turn out, I'm glad to have met you. It's been an honor, getting to know you and your family. It's not an experience I'd trade for anything."

"Well, not'in's gonna happen," he muttered, pulling away.

"I hope so," said Karen fervently.

She pulled into the drive, wincing slightly at the way her truck jerked to a stop, the brakes squealing in protest.

Donatello climbed out, giving her a rueful grin. "Sorry, Karen."

"It's ok, Don, you did great. Really," she said, forcing a smile.

Raphael climbed out of the car. "Hey, Mikey, gimmee a hand wit' dis t'ing, will ya?"

"Aww, man, we gotta move it _again_?" whined Michelangelo.

"Shuddup, Chucklehead," retorted Raph, grabbing the trailing tails of his brother's mask and giving them a yank. "Com'on."

"Ow! Raphy!" Michelangelo protested. Karen chuckled. They were such _boys._

Donatello limped over. "Is he awake yet?"

"He was sort of moaning," answered Karen.

"Let's get him inside and wake him up. He can adjust the settings on the machine to send that _thing _back where it belongs, then recalibrate it to send us home as well."

"What if he won't cooperate?" asked Karen, glancing at the car with a faint shiver.

"Don't worry. My brothers can be very persuasive," said Don grimly. "It shouldn't take much." He met Karen's horrified stare and his face softened into a smile. "They won't hurt him. Not really," he said, answering her unasked question. "But believe me, Raph can be pretty scary when he wants to be. Haig won't give us any trouble."

He reached over and opened the car door.

"Donatello, don't you _dare_ try to carry him," snapped Leonardo, making his way over.

The eldest Turtle leaned into the car before his brother could protest, and dragged Haig out by the front of his lab coat with his good hand. Half-kneeling, Leonardo slung the man over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Karen winced. Having that shell digging into his stomach couldn't be comfortable.

Leo hardly seemed to notice the man's weight as he stalked toward the house. Michelangelo and Raphael had the device nearly unloaded from the back of Karen's truck. Donatello hurried over.

"Careful, don't drop it!" he scolded.

"Keep yer shell on, Donny, we got dis," responded Raph. Karen shook her head. "I'm going inside," she told them. "I'll see what I can do for Haig, and I'll call John and Luke to let them know what's going on."

"Ok, Karen. We'll get this set up in the barn, and we'll be right in," answered Donatello. His brothers picked up the device and began making their way toward the barn, grunting under its weight.

Inside, Leo slung Haig down none-too-gently on the couch. Splinter approached with a damp wash-cloth, which he laid over the man's forehead. Haig stirred, moaning.

Karen took the moment to slip out of the room. She dialed her ex-husband's number.

"John? We're back. Everyone's fine." She decided not to mention that she'd had a gun held to her head. "We got the device, and… John, Haig is here."

"What? Why? What's happened? Did he see them?" John's voice rose slightly in a panic.

"He did. John, he already knew who they were… Listen, I'll tell you the whole story later, ok? Why don't you and Luke come over and say goodbye to them. As soon as they send that _thing_ back to wherever it came from, they're going to make an attempt to go home as well."

"We'll be right there."

"See you soon."

Karen hung up and headed back to the living room where Haig was beginning to come around. His eyes flickered open and his shoulders jerked as he tried to bring his arms around to the front. Finding them bound, he began squirming.

"I suggest, Doctor Haig, that you be still," Splinter said quietly. The man's eyes opened wide at the sound of the Rat's voice, and he began struggling in earnest.

"What? No! Where am I? What's happening?"

"You are in my home, _Doctor_ Haig," said Karen, striding forward. Anger rose up in her, fury that threatened to spill over. Her hands shook and she clenched them into fists. "And I suggest you cooperate with my friends, so that things don't get _unpleasant._"

"What? Mrs. Vincent! But how…"

"Donatello struck you with his bo," said Splinter quietly. "We brought you here so that you may assist my son in preparing your device to send us back to our rightful dimension."

"No…" Haig shrank back against the cushions. His gaze flicked from Karen to Splinter. "No! I'm not helping you. Let me go at once!"

"I think you will find you have little choice." Splinter turned to Karen. "Are Mr. Vincent-san and Luke coming?"

"Yes, Splinter. Michelangelo and Raphael should have the device set up in the barn by now. As soon as Don's sure of the settings, we can try to send the creature home," said Karen.

"You can't!" Haig squirmed, fighting the bindings. "You can't! It's the find of a century, years of work will be wasted!"

The man froze as a cold steel blade was pressed to the side of his neck. "I don't think you understand." Leonardo's voice was quiet, cold. It sent chills racing down Karen's spine. "You're _going_ to help my brother set your machine up to send that thing home and if you're _lucky_, we'll let you live."

"You… you can't do anything to me." Haig swallowed hard. His head was turned slightly, and his eyes were glued to what he could see of Leonardo's blade. Leo turned the sword so it glinted in the light, pressing it closer so it made a slight dent in the man's skin. Karen's breath caught as a single drop of blood welled, trickling down the blade's edge and dripping onto his snow-white lab coat.

The man was shaking violently now, and even as Karen watched, Leonardo eased the pressure back a fraction.

_He knows exactly what he's doing,_ thought Karen in sick fascination. _He doesn't want to actually hurt him if he doesn't have to._

Haig swallowed hard and nodded once.

Leonardo removed his blade, wiping it casually with his finger before sliding it back into its sheath strapped to his shell. He nodded with grim satisfaction, flashing Karen a smile. "Now that's settled, we'll…"

"Sensei, Leo!" Michelangelo skidded into the room, a look of complete panic on his face.

"My son! What is wrong?" Splinter was on his feet in an instant.

"The monster… Me and Donny an' Raph got the laser-thingy into the barn, an' all, but it was real quiet so Raph decided to be the big tough Turtle and go in and check on it and…" Michelangelo paused, drawing a breath. His blue eyes were wide and stark with fear. Karen's heart seemed to be trying to beat its way out of her chest.

"Raphy went in there and he yelled and Donny… and… and…"

"Michelangelo!"

The orange-wearing Turtle drew a shuddering breath.

"It's gone… Sensei, the monster… it's just… gone."


	41. Chapter 41 Gone

_**Chapter 41 ~Gone~**_

Karen felt as though the world had tilted.

"Michelangelo," she half-whispered. "What do you _mean_, it's 'gone'?"

Blue eyes turned to her. "Just that, dudette. It's not there. The fencing an' stuff's all ripped up on the floor and… I'm sorry about your barn, Karen, really…"

"What? What about it?"

"The door… it was ripped right off. The stall's destroyed."

Karen shook her head. The ruined stall was the least of her worries.

"Where would it go?" mused Leonardo.

"Blaze, Suzy! The horses…" Karen started for the door. Michelangelo caught her arm, swinging her around.

"Whoa, dudette, you can't go out there yet! What if that thing's still hangin' around?"

"I _have_ to, Mike. My horses…"

"Raph and Donny are lookin' for it."

"Michelangelo is right, Miss Karen-san," said Splinter. "My sons and I will attempt to locate the creature. You must stay here."

"Oh, no, I'm not staying here alone. Especially not with _him_," said Karen.

"Michelangelo, you will stay here with Miss Karen. Leonardo and I will assist your brothers."

"But Sensei…"

"Michelangelo!"

"_Hai_, Sensei."

Karen started to protest again, but the Rat and Turtle were already headed toward the front door.

"It's gonna be ok, Karen," said Mikey. His natural cockiness was already creeping back, though it was obvious he'd been badly shaken. "They'll find it and we'll use that thing to zap it back to where it belongs, and everything will be ok again, promise."

"What if they can't find it, Mike? And what if they do?" Karen sank into a chair. "They already had to fight it once, and it nearly beat them. What if…"

"Don't _worry_ Dudette," insisted Michelangelo. "That's kinda Leo's thing." He grinned disarmingly.

"Wait a minute. That monster is _loose_? I thought you had it contained?" Haig was struggling anew against the bonds holding him. He threw himself forward, attempting to get to his feet. In two strides, Michelangelo reached him, shoving him casually back against the couch. "Chill, Dude, you're not goin' anywhere."

"You can't keep me here," Haig gasped. "You can't! If that thing's loose, I'm _leaving._" He struggled forward again, squirming wildly. Karen noticed the leather thing was biting into his wrists, and blood was beginning to well around the edges of the bands. Sickened by the sight, she motioned to Michelangelo.

"Mikey, pick him up, will you? And bring him out to the kitchen."

"No, don't you touch me, freak! Get your hands off me!" Haig's voice went high.

Michelangelo ignored his protests, taking him by an arm and hauling him to his feet.

"Watch your mouth," snapped Karen, glaring at the man. "You might be a prisoner, but that doesn't mean we have to be inhumane. If you stop fighting, I'll cut those thongs off your wrists and bandage them."

Haig ignored her, writhing to escape Michelangelo's hold on his arm.

"Kinda wiggly, ain't ya?" Mikey grinned, marching the man to the kitchen and plopping him down, trapping his arms behind the back of the chair. "Now sit still and let Karen fix up your hands."

"If you can hold him a minute, Mikey, I'll cut the thongs. Wait a minute, let me get some rags. If he's going to keep fighting, we'll have to tie him up again, but maybe we can use something that won't cut him like that."

"You got it," Mike grinned. He kept one hand firmly on Haig's shoulder, effectively keeping the man in the seat, while Karen hurried to fetch some lengths of linen from her bag of rags.

"I keep this for wrapping the horses if they get an injury," she explained, laying a roll of the linen on the table. "It should be strong enough for makeshift handcuffs. Now, can you hold his arms?"

"Let me go!" shrieked Haig as Michelangelo took a firm grip on his forearms. Karen grabbed a small, sharp knife and knelt behind the chair. The leather was surprisingly tough. She cut carefully through the knot, and the bonds fell away, releasing the man's hands.

Feeling his wrists free, Haig began to struggle in earnest against Michelangelo's grip.

"Let me go! Let me go!" he shouted.

"Shut up, or we'll gag you," Karen said coldly.

The man stopped shouting, but continued to wriggle and squirm.

"Relax, Dude," said Michelangelo, planting a foot in the man's lap to keep him from sliding forward off the chair. "You're not going anywhere. Karen's just gonna patch you up a little."

"Release me at _once…_"

Karen used a wet rag to wash the rope-burn. She applied salve directly to the gauze before applying it to the struggling man's wrists, and wrapped tape over the gauze to hold it in place. Haig's squirming made it difficult, but she managed to do a reasonable job. Finally, true to her word, she re-bound his wrists with strips of the softer linen, keeping his hands in front of him this time. Directing Michelangelo to hold him in place, she bound his legs and elbows to the chair, and for good measure added a sort of lap-belt to keep him sitting.

"There. You're not going anywhere until the guys are ready to have you re-set that machine," she said. "Come on, Mike. Let's see how the others are doing."

Michelangelo was shaking his head when they heard the front door open.

"Karen? Karen, are you in here?"

"John!" Karen turned and hurried down the hall to the foyer. Her ex-husband stood in the doorway, looking tired and a bit haggard. "Where is everyone? Are you all right? Where's Doctor Haig?"

"John! The others are out looking for the monster. It escaped. Michelangelo's guarding Haig in the kitchen… Wait, where's Luke?"

John's face had gone pale and he stared at Karen with a stricken look. "That… thing is… _loose?_" he turned, and raced out the door without another word.

"John! John, wait, where are you going? That thing could be out there!" yelled Karen, tearing down the steps after him.

"Luke! He went to the barn, to check on the horses!" cried John.

"No!" Karen sprinted after her ex-husband. "Luke!"

"Karen!" A figure rushed at them out of the darkness, and Karen screamed before it loomed closer and she recognized Raphael. He was holding Luke's arm with one hand, dragging the boy along. "Da horses are fine," he panted. "Now, all o' ya, get back in da house! We tol' ya ta stay put, Karen!"

Karen ignored the furious Turtle, wrapping her son up in a wild hug. "Luke, I'm so glad you're all right."

"Yeah, yeah, da kid's fine. Now get yer shell inside!" snapped Raphael. "We aint' found dat t'ing yet. It ain't safe out here!"

Karen didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed Luke with one hand, John with the other, and dragged them back toward the house. Raphael followed closely behind them.

Once they were inside, he turned, closing the door firmly. "Now ya stay _put._"

"I can't! I've got to check on Blaze!" Tears were streaking down Luke's face.

"Kid, I _tol_' ya, we already checked da other barn," growled Raphael. His eyes flickered toward Karen. "We checked both barns."

"What? What is it, Raphael?" Karen came forward. The Turtle glanced at her again. "Tell me."

"Well, da horses are ok, but da barn it was in… it's pretty well wrecked," he said slowly.

"And the chickens?" she asked, watching him. Raphael blinked and turned away.

"'m sorry, Karen. It… It must o'… must o' been… hungry 'r somet'in."

"Oh no." John's voice shook. "Oh, Karen, I'm so sorry. I know you loved those hens."

Karen felt chills run down her spine. She could almost feel the hens' warm feathers under her fingers, hear their soft clucks as she scattered their corn. Gone… they were gone, slaughtered. _Just like the cougar_, she thought, numbness tingling in her fingertips.

"It… it might not o' got all o' dem," said Raphael quietly. "We didn't have time ta… ta you know, check."

"It's ok, Raphael," said Karen quietly. She touched his arm. "I'm just glad it didn't get the horses, or any of _you_."

"Yeah, well… I'd better get back out there," said Raph quietly.

Michelangelo appeared behind John silently as a ghost.

"I'm goin' with ya, Raph," he said. "Mr. Vincent and Karen can babysit Haig, right?"

"Yeah, com'on, Mikey," said Raph, turning back to the door.

"Be careful," said Karen.

He didn't even glance back, just disappeared into the night. Michelangelo gave her a quick nod and a wink before following his brother.

"Wait, how will we know if you find it?" called Karen, but they were already gone.

"We can't just _sit_ here while they're out there looking for that thing!" protested Luke.

"At the moment, we don't have a choice, Son," replied John quietly. "We can't do anything until they find that creature." He turned, pacing into the living room. "I _knew_ we should've killed it when we had the chance," he grumbled.

"Splinter has his reasons," retorted Karen. John whirled, opening his mouth to argue with her, but his eyes narrowed and his jaw snapped shut.

"Karen." He came closer and reached up, his fingers just brushing her neck. Karen jerked back instinctively.

"What happened?"

Karen's fingers went to the sore place where Haig's pistol had pressed into her skin.

"Haig," she said bitterly. "He held a gun to my neck, to try and get the Turtles to cooperate. Donatello saved me. He knocked him out with his bo."

"He _what?_ You could've been killed!" John scowled.

"He _saved_ my life, John," snapped Karen. "Haig wasn't going to let me go. He would have killed me, probably you and Luke too, as soon as he had what he wanted. He wants that creature, so he can _study_ it, and figure out how to make more. He's insane."

"This whole thing is insane," replied John. He passed a weary hand over his bruised face. "Karen, do you realize… wait, where is Haig?"

"He's in the kitchen," said Karen. "Tied to a chair."

"He's _what?"_ John turned, starting toward the hall.

Karen grabbed his arm. "John. He held a _gun_ to my neck. He's _crazy,_" she said slowly, articulating each word. "We had to tie him up so he wouldn't attack us."

"Karen, my _boss_ is tied to a chair in your kitchen!" snapped John, looking more than a little harried.

"Your boss tried to kill Raphael!" Karen shot back.

"We've got to find that thing, and get rid of it. They can go home. Everything can go back to normal. Stephen will see that you were just trying to protect the Turtles. He's a reasonable man," John rambled. He wasn't even looking at Karen now. He started toward the kitchen once more. "If I can just talk to him…"

"John!" Karen grabbed his arm with both hands. "He's _nuts_. We are _not, _under any circumstances, letting him get loose, do you understand?"

"Karen, I…" He looked into her eyes, and finally, slowly, he nodded. "Maybe you're right. Just until we get this all sorted out, and things get back to normal…"

"John." Karen shook her head. She came forward, wrapping her arms gently around her ex-husband, mindful of his broken ribs. She felt him trembling with tension as she drew him close. His arms came around her instinctively, and Karen leaned into his embrace.

"I'm afraid nothing is ever going to be normal for us," she told him gently. "Not ever again."


	42. Chapter 42 Loose

**A/N: Just had to add a plug here... DuckiePray's _Unbreakable_ is now being posted. Having had the immense privilege of beta-reading the fic as she was writing, I can safely say it is one of her best fics ever. Jump on in, the water's fine. Just ask Mikey... **

**And now, back to our story in progress...**

**

* * *

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**_Chapter 42 ~Loose~_**

"John? John, is that you?"

Karen shivered, pulling away from her ex husband as Haig's voice traveled from the kitchen.

"Don't talk to him," she hissed, instinctively grabbing John's hand as he turned toward the kitchen.

"Why on earth not?"

"Because… he's crazy," Karen shivered. "John, stay away from him. The man's dangerous."

"You said he's tied up, Karen. How dangerous can he be?"

"John… there's something… not normal about him."

"Karen, my _boss_ is tied up in your kitchen. There's a monster on the loose. You said yourself, nothing is normal."

John turned away, striding toward the kitchen. Luke looked at his mother, his eyes wide and stark in his pale face.

"You tied up Doctor Haig?"

"We didn't have a choice, Luke. He held a gun to my neck. He was trying to force the Turtles to help him capture the monster so he could study it. Why, do you know him?"

Luke nodded slowly. "I met him when I went to the lab with Dad. He's… kinda creepy."

"'Creepy' is right," said Karen fervently. "Come on, I don't think it's a good idea to leave your father alone with him for too long."

When Karen entered the kitchen, John was leaning over Haig with the same small, sharp knife Karen had used to cut the thongs.

"John! What are you _doing?_" Karen exclaimed.

"This is ridiculous, Karen," replied her ex, slicing the bonds holding Haig's wrists. "There's no need to tie him up. He'll cooperate with us."

"He held a _gun_ to my _neck_," snapped Karen, striding toward John.

"I apologize for my earlier actions Mrs. Vincent," said Haig. He sounded tired, defeated. Karen paused, staring at the man with narrowed eyes. "I'm afraid, when faced with the threat of five mutants breaking into my laboratory and stealing the interdimensional window, I acted rather rashly." Haig grimaced and rubbed his newly-freed wrists as if to return circulation, though Karen knew she hadn't bound him tightly.

"Now, if you'd be so kind," He gestured toward the ties still binding him to the chair.

"Of course, Doctor." John knelt, slashing the bindings quickly.

Karen bit her lip to keep from screaming at John. The man was already partially free, and he was unarmed. Even with John's injuries, she was reasonably confident she and Luke could handle the man if he tried to get violent.

"Vincent! What're ya doin'?" Raphael's angry shout had Karen spinning. The mutant stood in the door, glaring through narrowed eyes, his sai drawn and clenched in his fists.

"It's ok, Raphael." John made a dampening motion with his hand. "Doctor Haig has agreed to cooperate. There's no need to keep him tied up…"

"Yer crazy. Dis guy's nuts. He had a gun. Don'tcha see da mark on yer wife's neck?" growled Raphael, coming into the room. He was watching Haig suspiciously. "I came in ta tell ya we found it."

"Found it? Where? Is everyone all right?" Karen stared.

"So far. We found it, but Splinter wants us to hold back. It's in da cave, holed up. It don't seem ta know we were there. Splinter sent me an' Mikey back ta get da machine ta send it back. "He..." Raphael gestured toward Haig with a sai, "Is comin' wit' us. Donny wants 'im ta adjust da settings so we don't drop da t'ing in da middle o' da city an' cause a riot."

"I'm not going anywhere with those mutants!" protested Haig, backing away. "They're violent, unpredictable…"

"They are not, so shut up," snapped Luke. "If Raphael was violent, it's because you were hurting my mom."

Haig shot the boy a glare before his face smoothed back into a look of uncertain suspicion.

"John, surely you can see that this is crazy," he sputtered. "I cannot be expected to cooperate with these… these creatures."

"Ya ain't gotta choice," interrupted Raphael rudely. He took two long strides across the room and grabbed Haig's arm. "Come on. My bros 're waitin'."

"Let go of me, _freak_," snapped Haig. His hand moved so swiftly Karen almost didn't see him pull the small black device out of the pocket of his lab coat. There was a flash, and a buzzing sound, and Raphael fell to the kitchen floor with a _crash_, his shell landing partly on the kitchen chair Haig had been tied to, smashing it.

"Raphael!" Karen was at the Turtle's side in an instant. She touched his skin and jerked back, feeling a current pulse through his muscles. More cautiously, she reached again, touching him. She could feel his arm quivering under her fingers, jerking with spasms. His skin was cool and damp with sweat. As she watched, he twitched again, and was still. Karen's fingers pressed frantically to the Turtle's neck, searching. To her immense relief, his pulse was there, faint, but steady.

"What did you _do_?" she hissed, glaring at the Doctor. John had backed away from the man and was standing back, his eyes glued to Haig with horror and the beginnings of anger etched into his expression. Luke had taken refuge behind Karen. He was edging toward the door.

"I suggest, young man, that you remain where you are," said Haig coldly. "You've seen the effect of the stunner on your friend here, and that was on the lowest setting. I imagine it would have a far more detrimental effect on a human."

"What the _hell_ did you do that for, Stephen?" snapped John, anger winning out.

"My dear boy, I couldn't simply allow this creature to manhandle me," replied Haig with a smile. "Nor could I allow them to return the most important specimen I've ever acquired. Oh, no, my associate and I have worked far too hard and too long for this."

"What? What associate? You mean Hun? What are you talking about?" John scowled, his fists clenching as if he'd attack the man.

Haig waved the small black box in his palm casually.

"Hun is a short sighted fool," he said scornfully.

"Who on earth would work with _you_?" Karen spat.

"Why, Doctor Stockman, of course," Haig replied with a smirk.

The stricken look on John's face told Karen he'd heard the name before.

"Doctor… Baxter… Stockman?" John was pale. His hands trembled.

"One and the same," said Haig, his smug smile growing.

"You're… you're working with _Stockman?_" Luke's horrified exclamation had Karen turning to glance at her son. His eyes were stretched wide, and he was staring at Haig as if he were an escaped mental patient. "Are you out of your _mind_? He's a whack bag!"

"Doctor Stockman is a visionary," retorted Haig, his smirk fading to a scowl. "Not that I'd expect a mere child to understand. His research has accelerated my own work by decades! Stumbling upon the interdimensional window was a godsend, a gift! It has taken us over a year to perfect to the point of allowing transmission of actual living beings, but once we discovered the ability to communicate, I found a common mind in his. Finally, someone who can understand my own inspiration, who shares my vision…"

"Someone who's as crazy as _you_ are," snapped Karen, cutting off the man's discourse. Under her hand, Raphael twitched slightly. She kept her eyes on the scientist, giving no sign that Raphael might be waking up.

Haig shook his head, tsk'ing as an adult might to a wayward child. "I'd hardly expect mundane minds such as yours to appreciate the idea of genetic manipulation which could enhance the human race," he said smugly. "We could cure cancer, repair disabilities. There are millions to be made, billions. And that is in the health care industry alone," he expanded, his smile growing. "Think of the military applications! Super-soldiers…"

Karen stared at the man. "You're sick," she whispered. "Twisted. You're talking about mutating humans into… into something like that thing?"

_It sounded almost human, when it cried,_ she thought, and every bit of warmth seemed to drain from her body. _What if that thing _was_ human once? What kind of mind created such a monster?_

"Raphy? What's takin' so long?"

"Mikey, look out, Haig's loose, and he's armed!" called Luke.

Haig swung toward the boy with a growl, pointing the device in his direction.

"No!" John launched forward, crashing into Haig. The flash blinded Karen. She heard a shout, a grunt, and a clatter. Under her hands, Raphael twitched again, and stirred, groaning.

"Raph! Raphael!" she cried.

"Mmm? What? Wha's goin' on?" The Turtle's words slurred, but he shifted, rolling to one side and sitting up.

Karen's vision began to clear but it was still obscured by dark spots that seemed to dance in front of her eyes. She could make out the dark-green, brown and red blur of the Turtle next to her, and a flash of white and blue as John grappled with Haig. Suddenly, a lighter-green flash streaked across the room. There was the by-now familiar whistle of nunchucks, a _thump_, and the white-coated figure slumped to the floor.

"Karen, Raph, are you guys ok?"

A flash of orange appeared in Karen's line of sight, and a green hand reached out, gripping her shoulder.

"We're fine, Mikey," rasped Raphael. "Where's dat Haig guy? I'm gonna…"

"Sorry, Raphy. Beat ya to it."

Karen blinked. Michelangelo's cocky grin swam into view.

Haig was lying behind the Turtle. Already he was stirring, groaning, pressing a thin, bony hand to the darkening bruise that appeared on his jaw.

John was moving across the room, stooping to retrieve the black box. He examined it with interest.

"Vincent! Return my property at _once_," snapped Haig, glaring at John.

John ignored him.

"Don't be a fool, John," said Haig. He edged backward, away from Michelangelo, coming to rest against the kitchen cabinet. "You saw how the device works. Use it! Stop them! We can work this out, John. You told me once you need your job, did you not? You agreed to bringing them here. There's no reason to alter our plans now. You can still rebuild your animation career with these creatures…"

Karen stared at her ex-husband, horrified, but it was Luke who spoke up.

"Is it true, Dad? You were… you were going to… sell them out?"

John looked up at his son, his expression stricken. "Luke, it's not like that," he said softly. "I've met them now, I know them. I wouldn't… I'm not going to…" His gaze flicked to Raphael, who was scrambling to his feet, his sai drawn, and Michelangelo who was staring at him in alarm, his gaze finally landing on Luke. "I wouldn't betray them," said John quietly. He held the box out to Karen. "Take it," he said.

Numbly, Karen took the box from his hand. She saw that it sported two buttons, one white and the other a small black rocker-style switch, marked "on" and "off". Small prongs protruded from one side. Next to the switch, a dial was marked with numbers. The device was turned to its lowest setting. Careful to point it away from everyone, she flipped the rocker switch to the "off" position and slipped the device carefully into the pocket of her sweater.

"No!" cried Haig, making a grab for the device. Michelangelo reached out with one hand, shoving the man casually back against the cabinet hard enough to bounce his head off the wood.

"Sorry, Dude." Mikey shook his head. "Don't know my own strength sometimes."

"Come on. Donny's waitin' fer dis guy, an' dat window thing," growled Raphael, straightening and tucking his sai into his belt. He shot one more glare in John's direction before reaching down and grabbing Haig by the arm.

"Mikey, tie 'im up. Karen, can ya help us get 'im back ta da cave?"

"We can drive down in the truck," said Karen, scrambling to her feet. "Just put the machine in the back. We'll drive down across the field. That way you'll only have to carry it down the trail to the cave."

"Sounds like a plan, dudette." Michelangelo grinned. "I was not looking forward to carryin' that thing all the way down there again."

"Ok." Raph grabbed Haig's other hand, unceremoniously yanking his wrists behind his back. Karen silently held out a strip of the linen.

"You'll regret this," growled Haig, glaring at John as Raphael knotted the linen around his wrists, binding his hands behind his back again. "I'll see to that. You're going to jail, Vincent. You'll never work anywhere in animation or any other field, ever again."

John shook his head. "Some things are more important than a job," he told Haig, but he was looking at his son. "I'll just have to take my chances."


	43. Chapter 43 Chaos

_**Chapter 43 ~Chaos~**_

It didn't take long for them to load the device into the back of the truck, and even less time to make the rather uncomfortable drive across the field. Raphael and Michelangelo unloaded the device, carrying it carefully down the trail, with Luke, Karen and John trailing behind. Karen kept a firm grip on Haig's arm, pushing him along ahead of the line. Haig muttered and growled the entire way, but didn't try to break free, with two muscular mutants pacing just in front of the little parade.

"You ok back there, Karen?" asked Raphael at one point.

"We're doing fine, Raph," she replied grimly.

"What took you guys so long?" Leonardo appeared like a wraith out of the trees. Karen saw the faint pre-dawn light glint off the handle of the katana strapped to his shell.

"Haig got loose. Me an' Mikey took care o' it," growled Raphael. Karen heard Michelangelo snort, but he was too busy holding up his end of the device to comment.

"Where do you want this thing, Leo?" he asked. "Shell, it's heavy!"

"Don?"

There was a faint rustle, and Donatello appeared behind his brother. "Right down there, close to the cave. Splinter's been worried sick, guys. The thing's awake. We could hear it moving around, but it hasn't come out yet. We've got to hurry up and get this thing calibrated. As soon as we're ready, we'll lure it out, and hit it with the beam."

Raphael grunted, and he and Michelangelo moved to where Don indicated. Donatello limped along behind, fussing over the device, checking to be sure his brothers hadn't damaged it during transport. Finally, the purple-banded Turtle was satisfied the device was properly set up. He motioned to Haig.

"You. What coordinates does this thing need to be set to?"

Haig shot him a hate-filled glare, and didn't answer.

Raphael drew a sai with a growl and approached the man.

"Donny asked ya a question." The sai hovered dangerously near the man's chin. "I suggest ya answer correctly da _first_ time."

The man scowled, glaring at Raphael. His chin came up fractionally. "Do what you will to me. I'm not helping you ruin a year's worth of work."

The sun was rising over the trees, and Raphael's amber eyes seemed to glow in the early light. Karen swallowed hard. Raph was scaring _her_, and she'd been living with him and his brothers for almost two weeks now. The sai point glinted as Raphael pressed it lightly against the man's chin.

"Do ya know dat art is part of a ninja's trainin'?" he asked softly. "Samurais, an' dem guys, they had ta learn calligraphy an' poetry an' stuff. Splinter raised us by da code o' Bushido, same as samurai. We had ta learn all dat. Carvin' too. Dat was always my favorite." He laid the blade of the sai almost lovingly against the man's cheek.

Karen saw sweat beading on Haig's forehead. A single drop trickled down the center of his nose, dripping.

"Years… of… of research…" Haig swallowed hard. "You're not going to let me live anyway," he said, defiance creeping into his voice. "You'll get rid of the monster, then kill us all and set the device to send you home again."

"Don't be stupid," growled Raphael, taking his sai away with a jerk, as if the man would soil it. "Dat t'ing don't belong here. Even _you_ can see dat."

"Yeah, Dude. We just wanna go home," chimed Michelangelo.

"Guys, what's the hold up?" Leonardo strode up, looking supremely annoyed. "Splinter says that thing's moving around now. We can't wait any longer. It could come out of the cave at any moment."

"Haig here ain't feelin' so cooperative," growled Raphael, glaring at the man.

Leo regarded the man darkly for a moment. "Donny, what do you need him to do?" he asked.

"Well, I can attempt to calibrate it myself," said Donatello slowly. "But it would be a lot faster, and easier, if he'd just give me the coordinates."

Leonardo's gaze never left Haig's face. The man shifted.

Karen watched the exchange.

_It's a stalemate,_ she thought. _What do we do now? We've got to get rid of that thing. _Absently, she slid her hand into her sweater pocket. Her fingers touched something smooth and cool.

"Maybe this will help." She held out Haig's stunner to Leonardo. "Just flip that switch to turn it on. It knocked Raphael out for about five minutes on the lowest setting."

Leo took the box, looking at it distastefully. "What is this?"

Haig's chin came up again, but Karen saw that the sweat was trickling freely down his cheeks now. "One of my associate's little inventions," he said, sounding smug. "A neural disruptor. If you render me unconscious, I'll hardly be of any use to you."

"He's right," said Leonardo, handing the thing to Donatello. Don tucked it into his belt. He glared at Haig. "We don't have time for this. Haig, give Don the coordinates or I'll be forced to…"

A barking roar shook the clearing, and Leonardo whirled, yanking his katana from its sheath.

"Donny, if you can work that thing, now's the time," he yelled, racing off into the trees.

Another growling roar, and the sound of small trees snapping.

"_Leo, look out!"_

"_I see it, Raph."_

"_Mikey!"_

"_Sensei, watch your back!"_

Crashing and thuds carried clearly on the cold morning air. A huge black form loomed through the trees, whirling and letting out another rumbling growl. Karen caught a flash of blue and silver as Leonardo lunged forward, then danced back out of the way of the creature's strike.

Karen felt a hand grab her arm, and whirled, ready to defend herself. John had her arm in a firm grip. He dragged her backward, toward the path, reaching out to catch Luke with his other hand. He was panting slightly.

"We've got to get out of here, Karen!"

"No! I'm not leaving them," snapped Karen. "We'll get out of the way, but I'm not leaving! Donatello might need help."

"Donny! You've got to open that window, _now_!" cried Leonardo.

"I don't have the coordinates, Leo! We can't just drop the thing in the middle of New York City!"

"Get me out of here!" screamed Haig as the creature crashed toward them.

"I'll get him," John said grimly, releasing his wife and son. He grabbed Haig's arm. The scientist made no resistance, he was so desperate to escape the creature.

There was a sharp cry, and a chorus of voices. "_Mikey_!" screamed Raphael and Leonardo in unison. Donatello's head snapped up and he was off in a flash of green and purple, racing down the path toward the battle as if he couldn't feel his injured ankle.

Karen heard a roar that was not the creature's, and a blaze of green and red flew at the monster, crashing into it hard enough to send it staggering back several steps.

"Michelangelo's hurt," she cried, taking off down the path. John stood squarely in her way, dragging Haig along behind him.

"Karen, no!"

"I've got to get down there," she argued, trying to go around him.

John moved to block her. "Karen, you can't go down there. You'll be killed!"

"Michelangelo needs my help!"

"You can't help him right now!"

"Just because you're afraid of that thing doesn't mean I'm going to leave him, John!" shouted Karen. "You can't run away from everything that scares you! You can't leave him alone and hurting and wondering where the hell his father is!"

"What? Karen, wait…"

She was already ducking around him, dashing through the brush and trees. As she approached, she saw Michelangelo, on his feet, darting to one side as the creature's enormous limb crashed down where he'd been standing only seconds before.

"Missed me, ya big stinky ape!" taunted Michelangelo. "Try again!" His voice lacked its usual teasing, cocky tone. He sounded angry, more like Raphael than himself. "Come on, this way, over here! Woo-hoo, this way, you ugly thing from another dimension you…"

Karen blinked It seemed as if the orange-banded Turtle was trying to draw the monster away. Her eyes narrowed, and she scanned the clearing. Finally she spotted the reason for Michelangelo's actions. Donatello was kneeling on the ground near a small copse of trees, crouched protectively over an unmoving brown-and-dark green mass. Karen ran to him. Don looked up, his brown eyes grim. Karen spotted the red mask tails trailing over a brown shell and her heart caught in her throat.

"Raphael!"

"He took a direct hit. He's unconscious but I think he'll be ok," said Don. He got to his feet. "Stay with him, Karen. Mikey, Leo and I will draw the creature off."

"Don, go, turn on the device." Leonardo shouted as he dashed by. "Splinter and I will help Mikey with the monster. Get that window open, _now._"

"I'll do my best, Leo," responded Donatello, though his brother was half-way across the clearing already, his sword out.

Leonardo circled behind the monster. Its attention was still on Michelangelo, who danced back nimbly, just out of its range. It roared again, the sound echoing through the trees. Karen was certain if there had been any leaves left on the bare branches, they would've been shaken off by the creature's bellows.

"Raphael?" Karen touched the dark green arm, shivering at the cool feel of his skin. The sweatshirt he'd been wearing was torn, and under the material she could see that his arm was bleeding again. The bandages weren't quite soaked through. She hoped the damage wasn't as bad this time, that he hadn't torn open the wound yet _again_.

_I hope he doesn't have other, _worse_ injuries,_ thought Karen. She hesitated, considering, before carefully rolling the Turtle to his side. She lifted his shirt, searching his plastron for cracks or damage.

"Hey…" A gravelly voice spoke, and the Turtle jerked under her hands, coughing. "I don't kiss on da first date."

"Raphael! You're awake. How are you feeling? Are you ok?"

"Like I jus' jumped off a two story buildin' wit'out a parachute," grumbled Raphael. "I t'ink I bruised my _shell_. What happened?"

"The creature must've hit you," she replied, nearly crying with relief.

"Oh shell, the monster! Where're my bros?"

Raph scrambled to his feet, swaying slightly.

"Michelangelo, Leonardo and Splinter are keeping it busy. Donatello's trying to get the interdimensional window working," answered Karen. "You can't fight yet, Raph, sit down."

"Like shell I will," he growled, staggering forward.

"We've got to help Donatello," said Karen, thinking quickly. "Raphael, do you think you can persuade Haig to give him the coordinates?"

"I'll _persuade_ 'im." A glint came into the amber eyes. "I owe dat dirtbag one, anyway."

"Come on," said Karen, grabbing the Turtle's arm.

She hustled him up the path, with one objective in mind- get the injured Turtle as far away from the fighting as possible. It was obvious, as he stumbled along, that he was in no shape to fight the monster.

"Donatello!" Karen rushed forward, seeing the Turtle fiddling with the device. He looked up, startled. The creature roared again, not far off through the trees. Karen could still hear shouts and thuds, the sounds of battle clearly. Raphael lurched forward.

"Where is 'e, Donny? I'll make 'im tell ya."

"I already did," said Don grimly. "John took him up the path, away from here," responded Donatello, still fiddling with the controls. "The first set of numbers he gave me were off a bit. I figured he'd try lying to me, but he tried just giving them to me in the wrong order, to throw me off. I think I've almost got it."

"What do ya need me ta do, Don?"

"We'll have to lure the creature back into the beam's path," answered Donatello. "Once I'm sure I've got the window set to the proper coordinates. I don't want to drop this thing in the middle of the city, or we'll have a whole new set of problems."

A shout, and another _crash_.

"We gotta get rid o' dis t'ing _now_, Donny," snapped Raphael.

"I'm doing my best, Raph!"

Pounding footsteps loomed closer.

"I don't t'ink we got anymore _time_, Don!"

Donatello was pale, sweating. He leaned over, and clicked a button. The machine hummed to life, and a glow came from one end of the long barrel. Soon the beam flashed out. Karen felt a blast of freezing air from the strange, fluctuating shape of the portal.

"Are ya sure dat's da right place, Don?"

"It's the best I can do! There's no time to get the right coordinates out of Haig."

"Ok. I'm gonna go an' help da others drive it dis way."

Before Karen could protest, Raphael had disappeared in the direction of the battle.

"If they can drive it this way, and we can get it into the beam, we should be able to send it back," said Donatello. "Here, Karen, hold this. If it attacks, if this doesn't work for any reason, use it. I've turned it to the highest setting. It should be enough to stop that thing… or at least slow it down a little," said Don, holding out the neural disruptor.

Karen nodded shakily. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to help my brothers," replied Donatello grimly.

"But Don, your ankle…" but the purple-banded Turtle had already disappeared into the trees. Karen heard crashing, and the creature careened through the trees, a few yards shy of the wavering beam.

An arm came around her waist, and she shrieked, swinging wildly.

"Well, well, isn't this interesting. It seems the mutant is smarter than I gave it credit for," growled Haig, close to her ear. Karen could feel him shaking. "Sending something through the portal will shut it down. How about you volunteer, my dear?"

He shoved Karen forward, toward the flickering beam. Karen screamed.

"Hey! Hey, what's going on over here?" Pete Darlee's voice rang out. Karen struggled harder. At the shout, Haig dragged her further into the trees, away from the beam. She kicked, squirming.

"Pete!" she screamed. "Pete, we're over here! Help! Help me!"

"What the hell is going on? You! Hey you, police! Let go of her, right now!"

Pete Darlee strode out of the trees, his gun drawn.

"Oh my… gawd… What the hell is _that_?" His eyes went wide and he aimed his revolver at a point behind Karen.

She whipped her head around, striking out at the same time with her elbow, catching Haig in the ribs. He grunted, and his grip loosened.

Karen screamed. The monster was only about ten yards away, and it was looming right toward them.


	44. Chapter 44 Pete

**_Chapter 44 ~Pete~_**

Karen screamed again and the creature turned, lumbering toward them. A loud _bang_ rang out as Pete fired at the creature. He emptied the gun, but it just kept coming, its roars shaking the small trees. Karen heard running footsteps to her left, but couldn't take her eyes off the abomination approaching at alarming speed.

"Karen!" A voice called, shaking her out of her frozen state. "The disruptor!"

Until that moment, Karen had forgotten the small black box clutched in her hand. She pointed it at the creature, and pushed the button. The flash of light was blinding. The thing howled and staggered back. Karen pushed the button again, firing blindly now. She heard another howl of rage, then a _crash_.

The creature's roar ceased as suddenly as if it had been switched off. The entire forest was silent, save for the rustle of leaves. Someone ran at Karen from the side, and she swung around, pointing the box blindly. A hand gripped her wrist, twisting the thing away and she shrieked, struggling.

"Karen! Karen, it's me!"

"John?" Karen dropped the disruptor and surged forward. John's arms came around her, enveloping her in a welcome embrace. "Oh, John, is it over? Is it gone?"

"No!" Haig screamed.

There was a scuffle behind Karen and she flinched against John. He grunted, but his arms tightened around her.

"No! My beautiful monster," cried Haig. "Years! Years of research, wasted! I'll never be able to recreate that unique genetic structure! You fools! You've ruined everything!"

"Now, somebody better have an explanation for just what the hell is going on here!" Pete Darlee rumbled, sounding shaken and furious.

"Arrest these people, officer! They've interfered with a scientific operation and cost Santino Labs _years_ of research, countless hours…" Haig sputtered. "They've destroyed a priceless specimen…"

Karen released John and turned, blinking. She could make Haig out, his lab coat showing like a white blob in her vision. Pete Darlee stood behind him, his gun still in his hand.

"You mean to tell me that _thing_ came outta Santino labs?" growled the Sheriff. "And you're the one responsible for it?"

"It's gone… all gone," wailed Haig. "My beautiful creature… gone…"

John cleared his throat. "Pete, Doctor Haig here has been involved in researching genetic manipulation. That… creature, was part of his research. It got away from the lab a few weeks ago."

"Well, where the hell did it _go_?" asked Pete belligerently. "There was just a big flash, and poof, it was gone!"

Karen thought fast. _We can't give up the window... they'll never get home._

"This thing… Haig had it," Karen blinked and squinted, forcing her dazzled eyes to focus until she spotted the black box lying a few feet away where she'd dropped it. "He said it might stop the creature. I guess it did." She picked it up gingerly and handed it over to Pete Darlee.

He looked at it as if it were a snake poised to bite.

"So the thing's gone?" he asked.

"It would seem so," replied John.

"It's gone! It's gone and it's your fault!" screamed Haig, spittle flying from his lip. He lunged forward, stretching bony fingers toward Karen's neck. "_I'll kill you!_"

Pete Darlee was on Haig before he took two steps, grabbing the man in a headlock and twisting his arm behind his back.

"That's enough! I've heard enough. Doctor Haig, you are under arrest for assault, battery, attempted murder, reckless endangerment, and whatever other charges I can think of after I talk to the DA." He forced the struggling man's hands behind his back and clicked on the handcuffs.

"This one's going to the FBI," he said with satisfaction. "Let the big boys sort out that Santino labs. If that thing came out of there, it sounds like they're into some seriously illegal research. It's just too bad I don't have physical evidence of that thing's existence…" Pete shuddered. "A jury's never gonna believe this one."

"Wait, how about a sample of its DNA?" asked John suddenly. "It was crashing around here for a while. We've been trying to avoid it for almost an hour. Haig thought we could capture it somehow." He met Pete's suspicious glare steadily. "I bet there're tufts of fur or something caught in the trees. Would that be enough evidence for you?"

"It… might be," said Pete slowly. "Have to talk it over with the DA of course. And the Feds'll want their own investigators in here…"

"Release me at once!" shrieked Haig, renewing his struggles. "If there are samples of its DNA, _I_ will be the one to collect them!"

"I was working with him, back at Santino," said John quietly. "I'll testify, Pete."

"Are you going to be implicating yourself in all this, John?" Pete was watching the man.

"I don't know, Pete," said John slowly. "I might be considered to be responsible on some level. I knew he was working outside some ethical guidelines certainly. I just didn't know the extent of what was going on. I was hired as a content producer, to create pictures of his research, basically advertising, to present to the board and the stockholders. I was never directly involved with his lab work, but…"

"You'd better come with me, John," said Pete. "It doesn't sound like you were directly responsible for any of this, but I'll need you to give a statement."

"All right. Karen, Luke's back along the trail a bit," said John. "When Haig got loose, I told him to high-tail it to the house."

"Luke's fine, don't you worry about that none," said Pete. "Who do you think called me?"

"Luke called you?" Karen stared, dazed.

"Yep. Got a call from him about twenty minutes ago. He said some crazy scientist was stormin' around down here raising a ruckus and his parents were in trouble. Looks like he was right. That's one brave boy you've got there, Karen."

"Yes." Tears filled Karen's eyes. "He is. Just like his father." She wound an arm around John's waist.

He squeezed back and flinched. "Watch the ribs," he teased.

Pete Darlee watched the exchange shrewdly. "I've always said you were a fool for letting this one get away, John Vincent."

"I was," replied John quietly. "I don't intend to repeat my mistake."

Karen glanced up at him, startled. John gave her a smile before letting his arm fall away from her waist.

"I'd better go with Pete and give that statement, honey," he said. "Maybe you can go up and check on… Luke. Make sure he's ok."

Karen nodded. "I'll see to him," she replied, knowing full well John was referring to the mutant family. Their son was fine, safe back at the house. The Turtles and their father were still in the woods somewhere, and might need medical attention, yet again.

Pete nodded. "Let's get this done, John." He grasped Haig by the elbow and hauled him off through the trees, protesting loudly all the way.

John squeezed Karen's hand, and limped off after the Sheriff.

Karen watched him go with a twist of regret. She shook her head, turning toward the trees where the monster had disappeared. The first tentative chirps of birds could be heard, as if they realized the creature was gone and were just beginning to feel safe enough to greet the new day with their cheerful songs once again.

Before Karen had gone ten steps, a figure materialized to her right. Another appeared, and another. Splinter and his sons stepped out of the trees cautiously coming into the sunlight.

"Is he gone?" asked Michelangelo quietly.

"Yes," said Karen. "Are you all right?"

Her gaze swept the little group, searching for obvious injuries, but she saw none. Raphael glared grimly back, refusing to acknowledge any pain he might have been feeling. Donatello gave her a tired smile. Michelangelo managed a cocky grin, and Leonardo met her eyes steadily.

"Our injuries are minor, Miss Karen-san," said Splinter. Karen noticed he was limping slightly as he moved toward her. "We have been most fortunate."

"Come on. Let's get you all back up to the house," said Karen, holding out her hands.

"But the device… we can't just leave it out here," protested Donatello. "We'll have to take it back."

"Wait a minute, I thought we were going home," protested Michelangelo. "Don, you just have to fiddle with the knobs an' stuff, right? Then we can go home."

Donatello shook his head. "Not quite, Mikey. Unless you want to end up in the same deep-freeze that monster landed in. I have to try to figure out the proper coordinates to send us home. Without Haig's assistance, it's going to take me some time." He held out his hands in a helpless gesture. Karen noticed he was trembling.

_It's cold… too cold. The adrenaline is going to wear off, and they'll all be freezing,_ she thought.

"I'm sorry, guys," Donatello said. "I've let you all down."

"No, Don, you haven't," said Leo firmly. "You sent that thing back where it belongs. You saved all our shells." He reached out and gripped his brother's shoulder, grimacing slightly. "We'll figure this out. We'll get home."

"Come on. Let's get up to the house," said Karen. She reached out, touching Mikey's hand. He looked at her, and the sadness in his blue eyes was enough to break her heart. "Don't worry, Mike. It's going to be all right," she told him.

He just nodded. "Of course it is, Dudette," he replied, his voice sounding a lot more confident than his expression indicated. "Donny's the best. He's a genius. He can figure out that machine, no problem."

Karen smiled, seeing Donatello give his brother a doubtful, worried look.

"I'm sure he can. But for now, you all need to get inside and out of this cold. I'm not sending you home with pneumonia."

"Come on, Mike. Let's get dis t'ing back up ta da truck," growled Raphael, moving to lift the device.

"Raph, no," protested Leo. "You know you cracked a rib when that thing hit you. You'll hurt yourself if you try lifting that thing."

"Well, what're we supposed ta do, Fearless? I suppose yer gonna carry it wit' yer broken arm?"

"_I'll_ help Michelangelo," said Karen, stepping forward. She ignored Raphael's snort and took hold of one end of the machine. "Come on, Mikey."

"You got it, Karen." Michelangelo took the other end. Karen lifted, staggering under the weight the Turtles had handled with relative ease. Suddenly some of the weight eased. She turned, startled, to see Leonardo holding one side of the device with his good hand.

"Leo, you shouldn't…"

"I can handle it, Karen," he said quietly. "If you can help."

"All right." She adjusted her grip, and trio made the slow, awkward journey up the path, the others following them like walking wounded.

Raphael hurried forward to lower the tailgate, and they managed to get the heavy machine up into the back of the truck. Karen climbed into the driver's seat as the mutant family piled in.

"Come on guys," she said, meeting Splinter's eyes in the rear-view mirror and giving him a grin. "Let's get you home."


	45. Chapter 45 Recovery

**_Chapter 45 ~Recovery~_**

It was a bedraggled group who rolled into the driveway. The front door burst open as Karen turned off the truck, and Luke tumbled down the stairs, rushing toward them as the mutants exited the truck in various states of battered exhaustion.

"Michelangelo! Leo, Raph, Donatello, Splinter… Mom! Are you guys ok? Where's Dad? Where's Doctor Haig? I called Sheriff Darlee when he got away from Dad, Mom, I didn't know what else to do…"

"It's ok, Luke, we're all ok," said Karen, catching Luke's arms and making him face her. "Everyone's ok. You did exactly right. Pete took Doctor Haig away. Your Dad's gone with him to give a statement. The monster's gone, and everyone's going to be ok."

"Mr. Darlee didn't see you guys, did he? I'm sorry, guys, I wasn't thinking…" Luke jerked away from Karen, going toward Leonardo.

The Turtle gave him a tired smile. "It's ok, Luke. We stayed out of sight. Your mom is the real hero," he said. "She's the one that zapped the monster with that stunner Haig had."

"How did you know?" Karen turned, startled. "You guys were all off in the woods…"

"Who do you think told you to do it?" he replied, grinning. "Just because you didn't see us didn't mean we weren't nearby, Karen."

"That… that was you?" Karen chuckled. "I just assumed it was John."

"I was kind of hoping that sheriff would assume that too," said Leonardo.

"You took a dreadful chance. What if Pete had seen you guys?"

"We didn't have a choice, Karen. We couldn't let that thing attack you. As it was, the second shot blinded it. It just fell back into the beam."

"I'm just glad you didn't have to reveal yourselves, Leonardo." Karen crossed the short space between them and embraced the startled Turtle. "I'm glad you're all ok," she said. She let him go and stood back, looking into his face. "Thank you. You saved my family."

Leonardo stepped back, and gave her a short, formal bow. "And you saved ours. _Doomo arigatoo, _Karen-san."

"You're welcome. Now, come on." She turned, her gaze sweeping the group. The other Turtles and their Rat master were watching her with varying degrees of amusement. "Let's get you all inside where it's warm."

She didn't have to repeat the invitation. They trooped tiredly into the house. Raphael disappeared in the direction of the bathroom, grabbing dibs on the first shower. Michelangelo headed straight for the kitchen, announcing his intention of "whipping up a meal fit for a victorious army". Leonardo followed his younger brother, intent on brewing a pot of relaxing tea, and Splinter excused himself to join them. Donatello veered off toward the office, a determined look in his brown eyes.

"Don't you want me to check your ankle, Don?" asked Karen. "You should probably ice it down…"

"No, thanks, Karen, but I've got work to do," replied Donatello over his shoulder. "I've got to see what I can pull off Santino's computers before the Feds get in there and shut the place down."

"…Ok," Karen shook her head. She wasn't sure what Donatello would be able to find, but she wasn't about to discourage him. She opted to head toward her own bedroom, intent on changing into clothes that weren't wet with sweat and melting frost.

Karen quickly donned a pair of sweats and a loose tee-shirt, before heading out to the kitchen to see what Michelangelo had managed to find. The orange-banded Turtle was humming, stirring something in a bowl. Leonardo was sitting at the table, sipping a cup of tea. Splinter was nowhere in sight, but Raphael was at the table with his brother. His mask was missing, and so was the bandage Karen had used to bind his arm. He was inspecting the tape she'd applied, which was hanging haphazardly.

"Darn it, Raphael," scolded Karen. "You're going to have a scar."

"Won't be the first one." He shrugged. "Would ya mind tapin' it up again, or should I bug da Genius?"

Karen hesitated. "I suppose it's really too late to stitch it now. Anyway, I don't have the proper anesthetic here." She sighed. "All right. I'll tape it up one more time, but really, you've _got_ to take care of it, Raphael."

"Yeah, yeah, keep yer shell on," grumbled Raph.

"Raphael," said Karen, deadpan, "You do realize I don't _have_ a shell, right?"

The startled Turtle met her eyes for an instant before he threw his head back and guffawed. "Dat's true."

Even Leonardo smirked over his tea cup. "I guess you'll have to come up with a new expression, Raph."

"I guess so." Raphael chuckled. "Ok, Doc, whatdaya say?"

"I'll get the first aid kit," said Karen, still grinning.

Michelangelo hummed happily as he poured the batter into a pan and started layering slices of what looked like zucchini over it. Karen set the first aid kit on the table and sorted out the antiseptic, bandages and tape while Michelangelo rooted around in the refrigerator.

"What are you looking for, Mike?"

"You got any Parmesan cheese, Karen?"

"Sure, it should be on the door."

"Cool."

Karen shook her head as she carefully pushed the rather ragged edges of the wound together one more time. She was encouraged to see the ends of the laceration had already begun to seal together, beginning the healing process. She wrapped the tape carefully, adding several more layers than she normally would've thought necessary.

"There," she said, finally satisfied. "That should hold it."

"T'anks, Karen," said Raphael. He moved his arm experimentally, his eyes widening. "Geesh, ya use enough tape?"

"Well, I don't want it coming loose again," said Karen.

"I t'ink my arm could be half cut off an' it wouldn't come loose wit' da way you've got dis wrapped," retorted Raph, but he grinned.

"Good. You never know what you might get yourself into with your track record," Karen shot back. "I want to be prepared for any possibility."

Soon Michelangelo had, true to his word, prepared enough food for a small army. Leonardo dragged Don out of the office, insisting he sit down. They all gathered around the kitchen table, digging in to the delicious food gratefully. Karen smiled, watching Raphael smack Michelangelo's hand away from a dish before he proceeded to empty half of it onto his own plate, earning a chorus of protests from his brothers.

_I'm really going to miss these guys if Donatello figures out how to calibrate that machine,_ she thought. _Well, if they can't find a way back, at least they can stay here. They're like family now. _

She glanced at the purple-banded Turtle, noticing how quiet he was, and the way he was picking at his food. Even as she watched, he pushed his plate away, standing up.

"Excuse me," he said politely, picking up his dish and heading toward the sink.

"Donatello, are you ok? You hardly touched your supper," said Karen.

"I'm ok, Karen. I just have a lot of work to do," said Don. Karen noticed the slightly worried look Leonardo shot his brother as he passed the table, but no one commented.

Everyone retired for the evening soon after the table was cleared and the dishes were washed. There were hardly enough leftovers to feed a sparrow. Karen watched, amused, as Leonardo coerced Raphael into helping with the dishes. Michelangelo smirked, jogging out of the kitchen with comments about how _nice_ it was not to have to do the dishes, because, after all, he'd prepared the meal.

It was a long time before Karen got to sleep that night. Every creak, every shuffle of the old house had her every sense on high alert as she peered into the darkness, searching for a threat that might come looming out of the night.

_Stop being so silly,_ she told herself. _The monster's gone and Haig's in jail. Everyone's home safe, and you're fine._

Finally she drifted off into a fitful sleep.

_She was running through the forest. The trees loomed large on either side of her, black, reaching, snatching at her as she passed. Ahead, Luke was crying out, calling to her, but she could run no faster. A roar… the monster…it would get Luke… take him from her… she forced her legs forward, but movement was growing more difficult…_

_John staggered out of the trees… he was carrying a body, bloody and torn. "I'm so sorry, Karen… I didn't get there in time…" _

_She drew nearer and horror drained her of any vestige of warmth. Luke lay in his father's arms, sightless eyes staring into the distance, chest ripped open, revealing muscle and bone. He was impossibly still…_

"_NO!" she shrieked, an animalistic sound. _

_"No… no…" her moans and cries blended with those of the monster, wailing in the darkness._

"Miss Karen-san! Miss Karen-san, wake up. You are dreaming. Wake up."

Something grasped her arm, bony, thin fingers. _Haig_. Karen shot up in the bed, jerking away from the hand on her arm, scrambling backward.

"Miss Karen-san, are you all right?"

A familiar, gravelly voice. Not Haig. Karen blinked.

"Splinter?"

"Yes, Miss Karen-san. Are you all right? I fear you were dreaming. I heard you cry out…"

Karen moved back across the bed, swinging her legs over the side and sitting up. She felt weak, shaky, and her limbs trembled.

"You are safe now, Karen," said Splinter gently, touching her hand. She jumped at the unexpected contact, and his whiskers twitched. He withdrew, but Karen reached out, catching his hand.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, embarrassed, but not quite able to let go.

Splinter smiled. "It is quite all right, Miss Karen-san."

"I feel so foolish," said Karen, forcing a laugh. "Everyone's safe now. I shouldn't be having nightmares."

"Everyone has fears, Miss Karen-san," said Splinter gently. "Perhaps a cup of tea would calm you."

"That sounds nice," said Karen, getting to her feet. There was no way she was going back to sleep now anyway. She followed the Rat into the kitchen. He put the pot of water on to boil while Karen got out the cups and teabags.

"How do you do it, Splinter?" she asked. "How do you live with something like that monster, knowing it's… it's out there somewhere. Knowing the worst could happen at any time? How… how do you go on?"

Splinter poured the steaming water into the mugs and brought them to the table. He sat down, studying his cup for a long moment before he met her eyes.

"Some things are out of our control," he said slowly. "We have no guarantee of safety, Miss Karen-san. We have only the moment, and the choices to make within the moment. We cannot change the past, nor can we control the future."

"So, you're saying that worry is a waste of time?" Karen sipped her tea. "My mother used to say, never borrow trouble."

Splinter smiled. "Your mother was a wise woman. The past is for learning, not living. The future is out of reach."

"So live today. I understand." Karen nodded, taking another sip of her tea.

Splinter reached across the table, resting his fingers lightly on the back of her hand. Karen looked up, startled at the gesture from the usually-reserved Rat.

"Miss Karen-san. A parent has many worries. Too many to carry alone. Worry shared is often halved." He gave her a knowing smile and took his hand away.

Karen stared for a moment, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks. She suddenly felt very vulnerable. "Splinter, I understand what you're saying but, well, John and I…"

"People sometimes change, Karen."

"But, how will I know what's right?" Her voice sounded small, even to herself.

Splinter met her eyes, his gaze full of compassion and understanding. "Your heart will know, Karen-san."

She nodded slowly. Splinter's lips twitched with a satisfied little smile. He turned his attention back to his tea, and said nothing more.


	46. Chapter 46 Sleep and Schematics

_**Chapter 46 ~Sleep and Schematics~**_

The night seemed surreal, a dream within a dream, to Karen when she woke the next day. Sunlight was streaming through the window, bright and warm for the first day of February, as if Spring was raising her head early, to banish the horrors that had come with the winter with the hope of new life to come. Karen stretched, feeling lighter, somehow, less burdened. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and smiled, remembering.

_Was Splinter really here? Or did I dream that too?_ She wondered.

Making her way down the hall, she smelled coffee already brewing in the kitchen and headed in that direction. She came in to find Michelangelo rummaging through the refrigerator. Three cups sat in the sink, two from the night before and one more, indicating Leonardo had already come and gone. Karen smiled, despite the unexpected tears that stung her eyes.

_I am going to miss them _so_ much_.

"Hiya, Karen. Wanna show me how ya make that fancy French toast? I wanna make it for April after Donny figures out how to get that machine working." Michelangelo beamed at her.

Karen couldn't help but return his grin. "Sure, Mikey," she replied. "Just let me get some coffee…" She reached for the pot, but was startled to find it nearly empty. "Good grief, who drank all the coffee already?"

"Oh, probably Donny. I don't think he ever went to bed last night," said Michelangelo over his shoulder as he carried eggs, cream cheese, peanut butter and honey to the counter.

"Donatello… didn't sleep last night?"

"Oh, it's ok Dudette, he does it sometimes when he gets in a project," replied Mike cheerfully. "He probably drank two or three pots of coffee last night."

"By himself?" Karen stared at the Turtle, horrified.

"Yep."

"Good grief." Suddenly, coffee didn't sound very appealing to Karen. Instead she put on a pot of water to boil for tea. "Maybe I'd better check on him," she mused.

"I wouldn't bother 'im. Donny gets kinda… touchy, when he's workin'."

"Well he can't be staying up all night working," said Karen firmly. You guys are growing boys. You need your sleep."

"Oh, don't worry. Leo'll make him go to bed tonight," replied Mike with a grin. "He never lets him get away with more than two nights in a row, and then only if it's really important."

"Good to know," murmured Karen. Still, she headed down the hall toward the office.

Pushing the door open, she gasped. Donatello was slumped over the desk, his cheek resting on the keyboard. One hand was stretched out to a notebook covered in notes and scribbles. The other hung down limply toward the floor. To Karen's relief, his shell moved slightly, indicating his breathing was regular. She approached cautiously, remembering her earlier experiences with waking a sleeping ninja, and laid a tentative hand on the Turtle's shoulder.

"Don? Donatello?"

"Mmmm… wha'?" He shifted slightly, lifting his head a few inches off the keyboard and grimacing, and Karen stepped back hastily, but he didn't strike out.

"Don, have you been in here all night?"

"What? No, Leo, I've almost got this… just a few more minutes…" The sleepy Turtle's gaze was unfocused. He blinked at Karen, looking dazed.

"Donny." Seeing that he was at least partially awake, Karen came forward again and laid a firm hand on his shoulder. "You need to get some rest. Now."

"Almost… done…" Donatello was turning back to the desk, his hand stretching toward the notebook.

Karen stepped around him and snatched it up. He stared blearily at the desk and blinked.

"Donatello," said Karen firmly. "It's time you got some rest. Now."

"Donny, are you still in here?" Leonardo asked, coming into the room. "I swear, Donatello, if you don't stop with these all-nighters… Oh! Good morning, Karen."

Karen laughed. "It looks like you and I had the same idea," she said. "I'm trying to convince your brother that he should get some sleep but he's being a little less than cooperative."

"Come on, Donny," said Leo. He reached down and hooked an elbow under his brother's arm. "It's time for bed."

"Leo, I'm _busy_." Donatello perked up enough to give his brother an annoyed glare. "I've got to figure out this vector, or we'll never get home…"

"Don, it's ok." Leonardo hauled his brother up, relentless. "Get some sleep. It'll be there when you get back."

"No! Leo, cut it out. I've got to do this…"

"Donatello." Karen said sharply.

The Turtle's head snapped around. "Oh! Hi, Karen."

She shook her head. "Donatello. You've been up all night. Listen to your brother. Go. Get some rest."

"You don't understand…" Don pulled free of his brother's grip, shooting him another glare. "Karen, I've got to figure out these numbers… Hey! Where'd my notebook go?" He reached for the desk, searching.

Karen chuckled. "Relax. It's right here."

Donatello whirled, and she held out the notebook to him. He took it as carefully as a mother might handle her infant, giving her a relieved grin.

"Don't scare me like that."

"Sorry. Seriously, Don, you've got to get some rest."

"I'm not tired!"

Karen sighed and put her hands firmly on her hips, staring him down. "Donatello, you have been up all night. You're not thinking clearly, and there's no way you can perform accurate calculations under these circumstances. You are going to bed for a few hours, and then you can come back to this." She saw his worried gaze flick to the computer. "I'll lock the door so no one touches the computer."

"You don't understand," pleaded the Turtle. "Karen, there isn't much time. Sheriff Darlee was talking about bringing in the FBI. Once they lock down Santino's files, it'll be a _lot_ harder for me to get into their system undetected…"

"Donatello," Karen interrupted gently. "How long do you think it will take for them to move?"

"I… I don't know. Maybe… twelve hours?"

"It's after 9AM," Karen told him. "It's been about twenty hours since Pete made that call."

Don groaned. "Oh no…" He brushed past his older brother, who was watching now with his arms crossed, frowning. "Oh, no… It's too late." His fingers flew over the keyboard. "They're in… I must've fallen asleep… no…"

"How bad is it, Donny?" Leonardo sounded as if he were repressing annoyance.

"Bad enough. I can't get back in… I downloaded all of Haig's files I could get to last night, but I wanted to explore the system, see if there was anything else that could've been of use to us before the system crashes…"

"You downloaded Haig's files? Were you able to track Stockman?" Leo asked.

"Stockman never crossed over. They communicated, but he never actually came here," answered Don.

"Typical." Leonardo snorted. "He wouldn't want to get his own hands dirty if he could get someone else to do his work for him."

"Why would the system crash?" Karen watched the Turtle's hands, fascinated at the way his fingers flew across the keyboard.

"What? Oh! Oh, I erm… I umm… sort of…"

"Donatello! What did you _do_?"

"I had a bit of… umm spare time last night, so I… I sort of…" Don rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, looking embarrassed. "I… wrote-a-virus-that's-gonna-crash-the-system," he said, his words running together. He met Karen's incredulous glance with a sheepish smile. "I figured… if they had Baxter Stockman's tech…"

"You crashed the system to get rid of this Stockman guy's files, is that it?" Karen leaned on the desk, trying to wrap her head around what the Turtle was telling her.

"Well, Karen, he's crazy. Nothing he comes up with can be good."

"Don's right," said Leo. "Stockman's nuts."

"Ok. So the system's crashed?"

"Looks like it." Donatello's fingers flew over the keyboard. "Yep. Totally inaccessible."

"You sound entirely too satisfied for someone who just hacked into a very expensive computer system and crashed it," grumbled Karen.

"Well, it was a neat little virus," said Don with a cheeky grin. "See, I didn't disable the _entire_ system. The FBI should still be able to get what they need to prosecute Doctor Haig. I just corrupted some of the data, scrambled a few numbers…"

"Made the technology Stockman shared with Haig useless." Leonardo nodded in satisfaction. "Good job, Bro. Now, go. Get some sleep."

"Ok, ok…" Donatello clicked out of the page, closing the computer down. "I guess it wouldn't be bad to sleep for a little while…"

"Two hours. Minimum," said Leo firmly.

Karen nodded. "Yep. At least."

Don looked from one to the other, and shook his head. "Great. Just what I needed. Two Leonardos," he grumbled.

Karen met Leo's eyes as the purple-banded Turtle meandered out of the room, and grinned. Leonardo held up his hand, and Karen high-fived him with a laugh. He grinned, sauntering out of the room after his brother.

Hearing a knock at the front door, Karen headed in that direction. She glanced over her shoulder, but there was no sign of the mutant family's presence, so she opened the door.

"Good morning, Karen." John smiled, looking a bit haggard. The bruise on his face was fading to a yellowish brown, but the pain of his injury had carved lines of pain into his brow.

"John! Come in. How'd things go with Pete yesterday? Are they charging you with anything? Are you all right?"

The man held up his hands, smiling tiredly. "One question at a time, Karen. I'm fine. A little tired. Pete called the Feds as soon as he got back to the station. They rolled in by noon yesterday, and they had questions." He shivered. "A lot of questions. I did my best to answer them without rousing any suspicion about our friends." His gaze flickered past Karen. "Hello, Leonardo."

"Hello, Mr. Vincent. How are you?" Leo's tone was neutral, wary. Karen turned to look at the blue-banded Turtle.

"I'm doing well, thanks." John's smile faded. "I did my best, Leonardo. Please believe that. I didn't tell anyone about your presence here, or about the device."

Leonardo watched John with an inscrutable expression for a moment before giving him a short bow. "Thank you," he said. "We are in your debt."

John shook his head. "No. I'm in yours. You saved Karen's life yesterday. I'll never forget that, and I'll never be able to repay your family for all you've done."

"So what happens now, John? Will you need to talk to them again?" Karen asked worriedly. "Why don't you come on inside? We can sit down and talk."

"It would be great to sit down," said John. "They told me not to leave town, so I'm sure they'll have more questions. They were particularly interested in Haig's notes and files, but it seems there was a problem with the computer system this morning. They weren't able to access some of his work."

Karen met Leo's eyes, and smiled, but let the matter rest for now. There would be time for explanations later. She led John out to the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee.

"So I take it Donatello wasn't able to configure the settings on the machine yet?" John asked, sinking into a kitchen chair. "I was afraid I'd come by and you'd all be gone."

"Not yet," replied Leonardo. He sank into a chair with a sigh. "He was up all night, going over Haig's notes, but so far, he hasn't been able to figure it out."

"Well, can't he just make a best-guess and open the window? Surely he'd be able to figure it out in a couple of tries."

"No." Leonardo shook his head. "See, that's the thing. I was talking to Donny last night. It seems the machine runs on a power pack, a sort of battery. It will need to be recharged… He showed me. You can't just plug the thing into your wall socket. From what Don said, it takes a pretty strong power source to recharge the thing."

John was nodding. "Santino has an independent power supply," he said. "There are several huge generators in the basement which provide power to the entire lab. We don't have access to anything like that."

Leonardo sighed. "Donny says we have one, maybe two shots at getting it right," he said quietly. "If he gets the coordinates wrong… We could end up trapped here."

They sat in silence for a moment. "Well, you know you guys are welcome here," said Karen. "No matter what happens. Your family can stay with us for as long as you need to."

"I appreciate that, Karen. I really do," said Leonardo. "But we have a life, back in the city. Friends, _family_, who will be going out of their minds with worry by now. We have to get back. We just have to." The Turtle stood up. "I'm… going out for a bit. Thanks, Karen."

"No problem, Leo," she replied softly. "Hey." He paused, turning to look at her. "It's going to be ok."

The Turtle nodded, and headed out the back door.

"I wish I could do more to help them," said John. He rested his head in his hands, his elbows on the table. "I'm not a scientist. Haig's crazy, but he's a genius. If only we could've gotten the coordinates from him…"

"John, the night the Turtles were brought here… The way you described it… were you actually _in_ the lab that night?" Karen sat down, watching him.

John nodded. "I was there working on mock ups," he said. He shivered. "I'd just finished getting the final details of the drawing down, but Haig wanted to give me a sample of what it was capable of. He wanted drawings of it actually working. It was supposed to be a dummy run, I don't think he meant for anything to actually come through. Hun came through, which I think shocked Haig as much as me, then there was an even brighter flash… to be honest, Karen, I hightailed it out of there. I knew Haig was a little nuts, but I figured he'd finally gone too far, and I wasn't about to stick around to be implicated in his crazy scheme. He called me in the next day to 'meet' Hun."

"So you were there the night the Turtles came?"

"Yes, I just told you, I was making drawings of the machine."

"Drawings…" Karen frowned. "John, just how detailed were the drawings?"

"Well, they had to be pretty precise," said John slowly. "It's a complicated device, and I needed to convey that to the shareholders… In fact, Haig encouraged me to include as much detail as possible. I think he wanted to impress everyone… show them that it was far too complicated for anyone but _him_ to understand…"

Understanding dawned on the man's face as he looked up at his ex-wife. "You're thinking… I might've drawn the _settings_?"

"Do you still have the drawings?"

"They're at the house. I'll get them."

"Ok. But John?"

"Yes?"

"Let's not say anything to them just yet. I can't bear to disappoint them."

"All right Karen." He got to his feet. "I'll be back as soon as I can."


	47. Chapter 47 Luke

_**Chapter 47 ~Luke~**_

It wasn't easy for Karen to contain her nervous excitement as she waited for John to come back with the drawings. She paced around the kitchen, pausing to wash the few dishes that were in the sink.

She opened the refrigerator, considering what to make for lunch, and closed it again, unable to concentrate on anything but John's mission. _What if he's got the numbers they need? What if he _doesn't_? _

She poured herself another cup of coffee and sat down at the table, wrapping her fingers firmly around the mug to keep them from shaking. When Raphael strode into the room, she jumped, startled.

"Sorry."

Karen forced a smile. "I know. It's a ninja thing."

Raph grinned. "You got dat right." He poured a cup of coffee and sat down. "What's up, Karen? Ya look a little… Everyt'in ok?"

"Yeah." Karen sipped her coffee and made a face. She'd been sitting there so long it'd gone luke-warm. She got up and freshened the cup. When she turned back to the table, Raphael was watching her.

"What?"

"I don't know, Karen, why don't you tell me? Yer all jumpy an' tense."

"Nothing's wrong," she assured him, but he kept watching her.

Karen tried to ignore him, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Yer ex was here," said Raphael slowly. "He talked to da Feds yesterday, huh?"

"Yes. He was lucky. He's not going to be implicated," she said without looking at him. "At least so far."

"An' he kept his promise, right? Kept our secret?"

Karen looked up. "Of course."

"Den what's got you so wound up?" asked Raph. He was frowning now, his eyes narrowed behind the mask.

Karen felt heat rise in her face. Her hands tightened on the mug. "Raphael, you can't seriously believe we're up to something, can you? After all we've been through together in the past couple weeks? We're not about to turn around and blab about you to the FBI," said Karen.

He watched her for a few more seconds before slowly shaking his head. "Nah, I guess not. It's just… it wouldn't be da first time somebody betrayed us, ya know? Makes ya kinda suspicious when dat happens."

"I suppose it does," said Karen. An image of John's face, the day he left, flashed through her mind, and she closed her eyes. "It's not easy to trust again once you've been hurt."

The Turtle gave her a quizzical look, but didn't comment. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before Luke came wandering in, looking half-asleep.

"Mornin' Mom."

"Good morning Luke. How're you feeling?"

"Ok, I guess. Has anybody seen Mikey? I wanna show him something."

"Not this morning," said Karen. "He's not still sleeping?"

"Nah, him an' Leo went out fer a training run dis mornin'. Seems Fearless t'inks Mikey's been sittin' on his shell playin' video games a little too much since we been here." Raphael smirked. "I'm gonna go out an join 'em."

"What about Donatello?" asked Luke.

"Da genius is still playin' wit' da computer," said Raphael with a smirk. "Master Splinter won't let him train until dat ankle has a chance ta heal a bit more anyway."

"What about you, Raphael, with your arm and ribs? And Leonardo with his arm?" asked Karen.

"Don't worry, Karen. I won't mess up yer handiwork," replied the Turtle with a grin. "An' Leo's arm's almost healed. We all heal pretty quick. He'll just hafta take it easy fer a couple more weeks, then he'll be fine."

"He should protect that arm for at _least_ six weeks," said Karen. "A displaced fracture like that takes longer to heal than a simple crack."

"He'll be ok, Karen," said Raphael. "It ain't da first time one o' us broke somet'in."

"I suppose," said Karen. "It's no gentle life you lead, is it?"

"Not really." Raphael smiled wolfishly. "We're ninjas. We ain't supposed ta be gentle."

"Strike hard and fade away." Luke was nodding.

The Turtle looked startled. "You been talkin' ta Splinter?"

"Yep." The boy grinned. "He taught me a few katas. Just basic beginner stuff. I want to learn."

"It's no easy life, Kid. Martial arts means years o' trainin' an' practice."

"I know."

"Well, I gotta go find out what Fearless an' Bozo da Turtle are doin'."

"Have fun, Raphael." Karen picked up the mug and headed for the sink.

"Hey, Raph, mind if I tag along? I'll stay out of the way. I just want to watch you guys train," said Luke hopefully.

The Turtle gave him a long look, as if sizing him up. Luke stood up straight and met Raphael's gaze steadily.

"Sure, Kid, if it's ok wit' yer ma."

Luke scowled, but Karen just nodded. "Go, play. Have fun."

"See ya, Karen."

Luke stalked out the door without so much as a backward glance.

_I wonder what that was all about,_ thought Karen.

John's familiar tap had her scrambling to answer the door.

"You got them?"

"Yes." He held up a rather unassuming cardboard tube. "I… I didn't look yet. He met Karen's eyes. "I couldn't. Karen… If these drawings have the coordinates they need… They're going to leave."

Karen paused. "I know," she said softly.

"It's going to be hard for Luke," said John. "He's gotten really close to them. Especially Michelangelo."

"How could he not?" Karen smiled, despite the tears filling her eyes. "They're amazing."

"I… I don't know if I can do this, Karen." John paced into the room and sank into the couch cushions. "I mean… On the way over here, I almost threw this tube out the car window twice. I wanted to pull over and tear them to shreds. I actually imagined the pieces of paper, drifting away like confetti over the fields…" He swallowed hard. "If these drawings are accurate, Karen, we're about to break our son's heart."

"We don't have a choice, John," said Karen softly. "We can't keep them here against their will. Luke wouldn't want that. They'd be miserable. And what if something happened? The FBI's already investigating Santino. Martha's seen Raphael. What if she talks about 'that nice young man from out of town who was visiting the Vincents'?"

"We could protect them," argued John. "Keep them safe. They're ninjas, for godsakes. No one would ever know they were here…"

"John. It's not our choice to make," said Karen gently, laying a hand on his arm.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he looked at her again, he nodded slowly. "I know. It's just… Karen, I already hurt Luke once, and… well it took years before he stopped hating me. If… if this works, it will be _my_ fault they found a way home, my fault they left. He's going to hate me all over again."

"No. Luke doesn't hate you. He never hated you." Karen sighed. "John, I'm sorry. I was so hurt, so angry when you left us… I'm sure Luke was angry too, but I should have done a better job of protecting your relationship with him."

"You can't take responsibility for that," said John softly. "I should've been there for him. Watching Splinter, with his boys, it made me realize how many things I've done wrong."

"Well, this is our chance to do something right."

"You're right. Let's go find Donatello." John stood up, squaring his shoulders.

"Good afternoon, John Vincent-san," said a gravely voice behind them. Karen turned so quickly she nearly fell off the couch.

"Splinter! How long have you been there?" she asked.

The Rat just smiled. "My son is in the office," he said calmly. "I believe you wish to show him something?"

"Yes, Splinter. I have some drawings that might show the coordinates he's been searching for."

"This is good news indeed, John-san."

Karen smiled. It was the first time the Rat had used John's first name that way. She was beginning to understand the subtleties of the use of names in the way the Rat spoke.

_I'm really going to have to study up on Japanese culture after this_, she thought. _I'd be willing to bet he heard every word of our conversation.  
_

Splinter led the way down the hall to the office, where Donatello was once again staring at a computer screen full of complicated numbers and figures. His fingers clicked over the keyboard at an alarming speed, and he was frowning.

"Donatello."

"Yes, Sensei? Just a moment, please, I'm almost done here…"

"Donatello, John-san has something he wishes to show you."

The Turtle turned in the chair, his eyeridges rising. "Is it important, Sensei? I'm in the middle of something…"

"He believes he may have the coordinates you've been searching for," said Splinter gently.

Donatello was up and out of the chair as if someone'd poked him with a cattle prod. "Really? But how?"

"I was commissioned to draw the machine," explained John. "I was drawing it the night you guys arrived… it's possible I recorded the settings in the drawing."

The Turtle's brow creased. "Oh. Well, that's… kind of a long shot, but it's worth a look, I guess."

"Don, these are very detailed renditions," said Karen. "Come on, let's have a look, ok? We can use the kitchen table to spread them out. If the settings are there, I'm sure they'll be accurate. John's very particular about his drawings."

Donatello brightened slightly. "Ok, yeah. Let's have a look," he said.

Ten minutes later, Don's whoop could be heard for miles.

"I can't believe it! I just can't believe it," he kept exclaiming. "After all those hours of figuring and working through the equations, you have the settings _right here_." He pointed at the drawing, touching it lovingly.

"What's goin' on, Genius?" Raphael rushed in from the back door, his sai drawn. "We could hear ya yellin' out back!" His brothers and Luke were close behind.

"We're going home, Raph," said Donatello, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. "John found the settings! We can go home!"

"Yer serious?"

"As serious as a horde of Foot ninja," replied Don. "As soon as I calibrate the machine, we can go home!"

"You're… leaving?" Luke stood in the doorway, slightly pale.

"Looks dat way, Kid."

"Oh."

"Don, did you say you found the calibration? We can go home?" Leonardo spoke up, looking at his younger brother for clarification.

"Yep. John has drawings of the machine from the night we arrived. He drew the _settings_, Leo."

"But is it accurate?" Leonardo's dark eyes flicked from his brother to John.

"I've never seen this level of detail outside of schematic drawings," said Donatello firmly. "And they line up with the calculations I've already made. Leo, I'm _sure._"

"Ok, Donny." Leonardo's face broke into a wide grin.

"We're… goin' home?" Michelangelo asked. When Don nodded, he _whooped_. "We're goin' home! Ya hear that, Luke? My bro figured it out! We're goin' _home!_"

"Actually, Mikey, it was Mr. Vincent who made the drawing." Donatello beamed.

Luke nodded. "That's great, Mike. I'm… happy for you." He turned, and jogged out the door.

"Luke? Luke, where ya goin?" Mikey called, but the boy disappeared out the back door without answering.


	48. Chapter 48 Courage

_**Chapter 48 ~Courage~**_

"It's ok, Michelangelo," said John softly. "He's just sad to see you guys leave."

"Me too. I'm gonna miss 'im," said Mikey. He brightened. "Maybe we can, you know, visit sometime. I mean, now that you know how to set that machine thingy…"

John and Donatello were both shaking their heads.

"Way too dangerous, Mike," said Don.

"Aww, man…"

"How long will it take you to set the machine, Don?" Leonardo asked.

"Not long, Leo. We could go home within the hour."

Leonardo nodded. "Good. Well, guys, let's get ready to go. Karen, John, thank you." He made a formal little bow.

"It's been an honor, Leonardo," replied John. He held out his hand. Leo hesitated for only an instant before clasping it in a firm handshake.

Karen hugged her arms across her stomach, feeling as if the world had tilted.

"Karen? Are you… all right?" asked Michelangelo. Karen turned to the blue-eyed Turtle and forced a smile.

"I'm fine, Mikey. I should go talk to Luke though."

"I think Splinter went after him," said Don, glancing up from his notebook where he was scribbling some figures.

"Oh. Ok." Karen nodded. "I'll… just leave you boys to make your preparations then. Let me know if you need… anything."

We will, thanks Karen." Donatello went back to his notes. John leaned over his shoulder, looking at the figures with interest.

Karen made her way to her bedroom. She sank down on the bed, reaching into her nightstand drawer. She pulled out the photo of herself, Luke and John and cradled it in her hands.

_We were so happy. And then we lost that… Having the Turtles here reminded me of what it was like. Could we have that again? Could John and I really find our way back? Splinter seemed to think it's possible. _

"Karen?" She jumped a little as a Turtle appeared in her doorway.

"Hi, Raphael," she said. "Did you need something?"

"Umm, no, not really," he said, leaning on the door frame. One hand rested comfortably on the handle of his sai. "I jus'… Ya know, wanted ta say t'anks."

"Oh, Raphael." Karen stood up and came over to the red-banded Turtle. "You guys are so welcome."

He shifted, apparently uncomfortable. "Yeah, well. It was… nice meetin' ya an all."

Karen smiled. "Raph. I'm really gonna miss you, you know that don't you?"

"Yeah." He smirked. "Me too, I guess."

"Come on. I'd better see how Luke's doing. I'm sure he'll want to say goodbye to you guys."

"Da way da Genius was fussin' over dem numbers, there ain't much time," said Raphael. "I ain't seen Donny dat excited since he got hold o' some alien tech. He almost blew up the Lair."

Karen laughed. "Well, hopefully he won't blow anything up this time."

"I hope so," said Raphael fervently.

He followed her down the hall and out into the living room. Leonardo was standing near the door. His arms were crossed over his plastron, and he was glaring at Luke, who was standing near the couch. Splinter stood next to Luke, regarding his eldest son calmly. John was sitting on the couch. When he heard Karen come into the room, he turned to look at her. She noticed the strain in his expression immediately, and hurried over.

"John, what's wrong?" He shook his head, and she felt a chill. "John?"

"Luke…" John's voice was strained. "Luke'd better tell you himself."

"Luke? What's going on?"

Karen looked around the room. She noticed Donatello standing behind the couch, shifting uncomfortably and avoiding her eyes. Michelangelo was nowhere in sight. Leonardo went right on glaring and Luke wouldn't look at her. Instead, he addressed Leonardo.

"I'm going with them," he said quietly.

The strength seemed to drain from Karen's legs. She sank down onto the couch next to John.

"Yer what?" Raphael growled.

"I'm going with you." Luke turned to look at the red-banded Turtle, meeting his glare steadily. "Splinter said it was up to me to decide, and I decided. I'm going."

"Yer nuts, Kid. You can't go wit' us. Donny, tell 'im."

"It's not my choice, Raphael," said Donatello quietly.

"Sensei! You can't be serious."

"The choice is not ours to make, my son," replied Splinter. His onyx eyes flickered toward Karen.

"He's not going," said Leonardo with finality. "It's too dangerous."

"Leonardo." For the first time, Karen heard a hint of anger in the Rat's voice. "Luke-kun is not a child. The decision is not ours to make."

"Luke, this is crazy." Annoyance with Leonardo's overbearing tone helped Karen find her voice. "What are you talking about, going with them? Donatello says this is a one-chance thing. They can go through the window once, then it'll close forever. We don't have a way to bring you _back_."

"I'm not coming back, Mom," said Luke quietly. He finally looked at her. "Mom, please, try to understand," he said, pleading. "I'll never have an opportunity like this again, a chance like this! Imagine the adventure… the chance I have to _be_ something… something more than just another kid from a hick town. I'm going to college in the fall anyway. I'll just go in the City…"

"You can do that _here_, Luke!"

He shook his head. "You don't understand. I want to learn from _Splinter._ I want to learn ninjitsu. I can do this, Mom."

"Luke, we'd… we'd never… see you again."

He bowed his head. "I know. This… this is hard for me, too, Mom. But if I don't go, I'll never know… I'll never know if I could do it, you know?"

"Luke, I understand the need for an adventure at your age the need for a challenge, but…"

"No, Mom. I've been holding back my _whole life_," said Luke. "I _need_ to do this. I'm going."

John reached out, clasping Karen's hand. He cleared his throat. "Are you sure you've thought this through, Son? If you were to get into trouble… I mean, this isn't like joining the army or going off to college. You're talking about a _permanent_ change. Being totally cut off from everyone you know and… and love."

"I know, Dad. I've been thinking about it since they arrived," said Luke quietly. "It's what I want."

"But Luke…" Karen started to protest. She wanted to scream, to rant, to shout that her baby boy was _not_ going to travel through a window to another _dimension_, not as long as she had any say in things, but the words wouldn't come.

"Karen." John spoke softly. "Luke's right. It's his choice. He'll be eighteen soon."

She turned on him. "John, I…"

"Karen. We can't keep him against his will," said John quietly.

Tears stung Karen's eyes. "I… I can't…" She stood up. "If you feel like this is what you have to do, Luke, I can't stop you, but don't expect me to stand here and watch you throw away the rest of your life."

She turned away, and ran from the room.

Karen went outside, instinctively heading to the new barn where Suzy and Blaze were dozing in their stalls. She went to Suzy, going into the stall and wrapping her arms around the old mare's neck.

"What am I going to do, Suz? How am I going to live without him?" sobbed Karen, muffling her tears in the horse's mane. Suzy snorted, tossing her head, and nuzzled Karen's shoulder.

"I can't let him go," whispered the woman. "He's too young. He doesn't know what he wants. I can't just let him go on some crazy…"

"Miss Karen-san?"

Splinter's voice had her whirling to face the Rat. He stood outside the stall, watching her with concern.

"What do _you_ want?" she asked bitterly.

The Rat sighed. "I feared you might blame me," he said quietly. "I understand what you are feeling Karen-san."

"Do you? You're taking my son away from me!" snapped Karen. "How could you? After everything… how could you, Splinter?"

"Karen-san. I do not wish to take Luke-kun from his family," said Splinter quietly. "I said the choice is not mine to make. I did not say I approved."

"How can I stop him?" the question was a plea. "How can I make him see how crazy this is? How can I make him stay?"

Splinter shook his head. "Karen-san, what do you wish for your son?"

"I want him to be happy," she answered automatically. "I want him to grow up healthy and strong… I want him to stay here where he belongs." The tears spilled over then, coursing down her cheeks in hot little rivers.

Splinter bowed his head. "I understand," he said quietly. "I too, fear for my sons. I fear they will leave me one day. Once, we were scattered among five dimensions, trapped alone across time and space… Only by a miracle were we returned to one another in a final battle against a powerful enemy. I feared then that I would never see my sons in this life again. I understand, Karen-san."

"You got them back."

"Yes."

"Will I get Luke back?"

He regarded her thoughtfully. "I cannot say."

"I have to let him go, don't I?"

Splinter moved his head in a noncommittal gesture. "That I cannot say either, Karen-san. The choice is yours to make."

"If I refuse to let him, he'll go anyway. Or he'll stay, and hate me." Karen sank to her knees there in the sawdust, bowing her head and burying her face in her hands. "I'll lose him either way."

A furred hand touched her shoulder, and Karen looked up.

"Karen-san, those we love are never truly lost to us," said Splinter gently.

Slowly, she reached up, and touched his hand. Splinter smiled a bit sadly. Karen nodded. "I understand," she whispered. "I can't keep him here against his will any more than I could have refused to give Donatello those drawings."

"_Hai_, Karen-san."

Karen stood up, brushing the sawdust from her knees. She turned to Splinter and gave him a short bow. "_Doomo arigato, Splinter-Sensei_."

"_Dooitashimashite. _You are welcome, Karen."

Karen stared, then a laugh escaped her. Splinter's black eyes twinkled with humor.

"I guess I have as much to learn about Japanese as I do about parenting," she said.

"Parenting means always learning, Karen-san," said Splinter calmly. "Japanese is far easier to learn."

"Amen to that."

She followed him out of the stall, closing it carefully behind her. Suzy snorted and wandered over to the hay net.

"Sensei?" Raphael came into the barn. "Oh! There ya are. Donny says we're jus' about ready. He's makin' some adjustments, but he t'inks he's jus' about got it."

"Are your brothers prepared?"

"Yes, Sensei."

Splinter nodded. "We will say our goodbyes to Karen and John-san," he said.

"Ok, Sensei. I'll round up da Chuckle-head."

Karen took a deep, shuddering breath. "This is it, then."

"Yes, Karen-san."

"There's no dishonor in death," said Karen softly, remembering. "Only in a life not fully lived."

Splinter glanced at her, one bushy eyebrow rising.

"Someone very wise told me that once," she said with a faint smile.

The Rat nodded. "And someone once told me that everyone is afraid at one time or another. There is no shame in fearing for your son, Karen-san. It only means that you love him."

"I do, Splinter. Will you… keep him safe for me?"

Onyx eyes regarded her steadily. "I can make no promises, but I will do everything in my power to keep him from harm."

"That's all I can ask."

Together, they headed inside.


	49. Chapter 49 A Fond Farewell

_**Chapter 49 ~A Fond Farewell~**_

Donatello was coming out on to the porch when Karen and Splinter came out of the barn. He waved.

"Sensei, Karen. I'm ready. I've run through the equations one more time to be sure. John's drawings are perfect. The settings are right, I'm sure of it. I'm ready to fire up the machine whenever everyone's ready."

"Good. You have done well, my son. Raphael has gone to locate your brothers. Find Leonardo. We will all meet at the barn in ten minutes."

"_Hai_, Sensei." Don scurried off.

"I'm going to talk to Luke," said Karen. Splinter nodded.

She started toward the house, but the rumbling of a car engine had her turning. She glanced at Splinter, but the Rat had already disappeared into the house. Karen darted up the stairs and stuck her head in the door.

"Guys, someone's here! Hide."

It was all the time she had before Pete Darlee's sheriff's car pulled into the drive. Karen felt a chill.

_Oh no, not now. Please, not now. Not when they're so close to going home…_

She forced her face into a welcoming smile, hiding her anxiety, as she stepped off the porch. Pete climbed out of the driver's side, and came around the car.

"Afternoon, Pete. It's good to see you."

"How are you, Karen. Everyone ok?"

"So far," she answered, trying to keep her tone casual.

"Got someone here who'd like to see you," said Pete, opening the passenger side door. Karen braced herself, expecting a black suit and official badge. Instead, a slight figure stepped out of the car, wearing a knit shawl and wire-frame glasses.

"Martha?" Karen hurried over, clasping the old woman's hand in her own. "Martha, you're home! How are you?"

"I'm all right," said the woman, her blue eyes twinkling behind the glasses. "Young Pete here was kind enough to give me a lift back home. I thought they'd never let me out of that place. That doctor was determined I was going to some fool retirement home. Called it "assisted living". Well, I told him a thing or two, let me tell you! I'm not going to any nursing home. Not yet. I'm going to live out my life in my own house. I can't leave James... all my memories are in that house, you understand. I wanted to stop by and let you know I'm going home, and say hello to that nice young man of yours, that Raphael."

"Oh, Martha." Karen's eyes stung with tears. "It's so good to see you. I'm sorry, you… you've just missed Raphael. He… left a few minutes ago."

"Oh, dear. I'm sorry to hear that, dear. You know, I had some time to think while I was there in that hospital. It wasn't James I heard calling me, that was just my silly addled old brain playing tricks on my mind. My James wouldn't have been calling for 'Mrs. Willard!' Why would he? It was your young man who scared off that awful burglar. He saved my life, and I didn't get a chance to thank him properly."

"Are you sure, Martha?" Karen looked at the old woman. "It was Raphael who frightened him away?"

"I'm sure. This old brain might be getting up there in years, but I know what I saw," the woman nodded. "That horrid man was standing over me, grinning like a fool, when Raphael called out. He called my name, and that blond man, he swore something awful, he did! He said something about turtles, and then he was gone. I don't know how he moved so quiet, but he went like a cat. I didn't even know he was gone until you came, Karen, but I heard Raphael. I'm sure of it. I wanted to thank him properly. That boy is an angel, a real hero."

"I'll be sure to tell him, Martha," said Karen softly. She glanced at Pete Darlee, who was listening to the conversation with interest.

"My friend was visiting from out of town with his sons," she explained. "The night the… dog… was in Martha's house, Raphael went over there with me. Martha met him then."

Pete nodded. "There sure have been some strange goings-on around here lately," he said slowly.

"I agree. Well, hopefully now that you've got Doctor Haig in custody, things will settle down," said Karen carefully.

"I sure do hope so," said Pete. "This is a nice neighborhood. Sure would be a shame if it got all mixed up."

"It would be," said Karen.

"Well, where's that boy of yours, Karen?" asked Martha. "I'll say hello to Luke while we're here. I could do with a cup of tea too, if you don't mind."

Karen hesitated. "Luke… Luke's getting ready to leave," she said softly. "He's… going to stay with some friends, out of town."

"Oh?" Pete's gaze sharpened. Karen recognized the predatory look on his face, of a suspicious cop.

"Why don't you come in and see him off," she said casually, hoping to head off his suspicions. "I'm sure he'd be glad to see you both before he goes."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," said Pete. His hand was resting on the butt of the gun in his belt. The gesture reminded Karen sharply of Raphael, how she'd often seen his hand rest casually on the handle of his sai.

She took Martha's elbow gently, and helped the older woman up the stairs and into the house. No one was in sight.

Martha followed Karen into the kitchen, reminiscing about Luke's childhood.

"You and John were so close, Karen. I don't know what could've happened," said Martha. "It's always a shame when a good marriage comes apart."

"Hello, Martha," said John, standing up as they came into the kitchen. He held out a hand to Pete Darlee. The Sheriff shook it, eying the man. "I came by to see Luke off," explained John smoothly. Pete nodded sharply but didn't comment.

"Come in, sit down," said Karen. "John, would you mind putting on a pot of coffee and boiling water for tea? I'll go and get Luke."

"No problem, Karen. He should be just about ready to go," said John quietly.

Karen nodded, ducking her head to hide her tears. The arrival of guests meant that a long, drawn out goodbye with the Hamato family wouldn't be possible.

_Maybe it's better that way,_ she thought. _They wouldn't appreciate a lot of emotion, anyway._

She slipped down the hall to Luke's room. Lifting her hand to knock, she heard voices and hesitated.

"…Of course I want ya to come with us, Dude, but are you sure it's what _you_ want? I mean, leavin' your home, going to a different _dimension_, Luke, that's a big decision." Michelangelo's quiet voice carried through the door.

"Mikey, you don't understand. If I stay here, I'll be trapped under my mom's wing my _whole life_. She won't let me do _anything._ Dad wants to go camping up in the mountains, but she'll never let us try it. She's afraid to let me grow up. I can't live this way. I've got to get out…"

"Leavin' home's one thing. Leaving your whole _world?_"

"I know. I just… don't know what else to do. Besides, I want to be with you guys."

"Luke, I understand, believe me. I mean, if the Silver Sentry showed up and asked me to join the Justice Force, I'd be… well, I don't know _what_ I'd do. But I know one thing, Luke. I couldn't leave my family. My bros, they need me, you know? And Master Splinter… April an' Casey too. I couldn't just walk away from them."

"Are you saying I shouldn't leave my mom and dad?"

"I can't make a choice for you, Luke. It's like Sensei says, we all have to choose our own paths. I just think you have to really consider it. Leo said to me once, 'in this life, all we have is each other. If one of us goes down, we all go down.' Life's like that, Dude. Sometimes your family will drive you straight outta your shell, but all you've got is each other. That's not something you walk away from."

Luke didn't answer.

Karen raised her hand and tapped lightly on the door. "Luke? Martha Willard and Pete Darlee are here. Martha wants to see you."

The door slid open a few inches and Luke peered out anxiously.

"They're in the kitchen," said Karen. "It's ok, Mike, just stay out of sight, ok?" She added in a whisper. "Luke, Martha wants to say goodbye," she said quietly.

"Ok, Mom." Luke turned. "Will you be here when I get back?"

"I've got to meet the others out at the barn," said Michelangelo. "Don't worry, we'll wait for you."

"Don't leave without me," Luke pleaded.

"Sensei promised," replied Michelangelo.

Luke nodded. "Ok, Mom, let's go."

Karen followed him down the hall. "Luke?"

"Yeah, Mom?"

"I… you know I love you, right?"

"Yeah, Mom, I know."

"And you know I only want what's best for you? It's all I've ever wanted."

"Yeah, Mom." She could almost hear the eyeroll in his voice.

"Luke."

"What?"

"If… if this is really what you want… I… Well, I'm not happy about it, but… I love you and I want you to do what makes you happy."

Luke turned so suddenly Karen almost ran into him.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Karen found herself wrapped up in a suffocating embrace.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too." She held on for as long as she could, but when Luke's arms loosened, Karen let him go. He smiled into her eyes and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Come on. Let's go see Martha."

The atmosphere, when they entered the kitchen, was so thick a knife would've cut it into bits. John was sitting, tense, staring at his hands. Pete Darlee was watching him, his brow creased in a deep frown. Only Martha sat sipping her tea happily.

"Oh, there's Luke! My goodness, how you've grown," she chattered, standing up and wrapping Luke up in a hug.

Karen watched her son embrace the frail little woman, and marveled again at how tall he'd gotten, how wide his shoulders had grown.

_I guess he really has been growing up_, she thought. _When did this happen, and why didn't I notice?_

"Hiya, Mrs. Willard," said Luke with a smile. "How are you?"

"I'm very well, thank you," said Martha primly, perching once more in her seat. "Now, what's this I hear about you going away?"

"Well, I'm gonna stay with some friends for a while in the City," said Luke. "Then I'll enroll in NYU. I want to take courses in art and animation."

"So you're going to be an animator like your dad?" Pete Darlee asked.

Luke nodded. "That's the direction I'm thinking of, yeah," he said.

"Well, you be sure to keep in touch with your parents," said Martha, smiling myopically at Luke from behind her thick-lensed glasses. "Family is so important. Never forget that, Luke. My James went away." She sighed, reaching out and taking Luke's hand. "He wanted adventure, my James did. Wanted to see the world, wanted to make something of himself. Wanted to make his father proud… And he did. We couldn't have been prouder."

"James was an exceptional man, Martha," said Karen. "We were all proud to have known him." She laid a hand on Luke's shoulder. He glanced at her and smiled.

"Yes," said Martha. "He did us all proud, didn't he? I just wish I could've seen him once more. It's a sad thing when a family loses one of its own. Yes indeed. A sad thing. But you'll come and visit your parents, won't you Luke? You'll make them proud. I know you will."

"Umm, yeah. I… I've got to go finish getting ready now, Mrs. Willard. It was nice to see you." Luke leaned down a bit awkwardly and brushed a kiss against the old woman's cheek.

"Bye, Mr. Darlee." He held out his hand for the man to shake, before giving his parents a quick smile and ducking out of the room. Karen was certain she saw tears standing in his eyes as he turned away. She drew a deep, shuddering breath, fighting back her own tears.

"Well, Peter, I believe it's time we were on our way," said Martha, making her way to her feet. "I should be getting home."

"All right, Mrs. Willard." Pete stood up. "Nice to see you again, John. Karen." He nodded to them in turn.

"Thanks for bringing her by, Pete," said Karen.

John stood up, shaking the sheriff's hand. Pete gave him an unfathomable look, before offering the old woman his arm and leading her solicitously out to the car. John stood beside Karen on the porch, his arm around her waist, as they watched them drive off.

"He wanted to know if you and I were getting back together," said John softly.

"He _what?_" Karen turned to look up at her ex-husband. His eyes were on the cloud of dust disappearing down the road. "What did you tell him?"

John didn't answer for a long moment. "He said I'd better not make the same mistake twice, because I wouldn't get another chance if he had any say in the matter," he said softly.

"John?"

He turned, looking at her for the first time. Karen was startled to see trepidation in his eyes. "Karen, I… I messed up, in a big way. I never should've left you and Luke. Never. I still love you, Karen. Will you… I mean, would you consider, giving me another chance? I'm not asking for a big commitment here, not asking you to take me back. I just thought… if we could go, you know, on a date or something. I could take you out to dinner… someplace nice…"

"John…"

"Karen, I know I made mistakes, but I've changed. Please, give me a chance…"

"Hush." She reached up, touching his lips with her finger. "A date. Someplace nice. Dinner and dancing," she said softly. "Then, we'll see."

John stared at her for an instant, disbelieving, before a smile tugged at his lips. "You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"

Karen quirked an eyebrow at him. "Should I?"

"No." He sobered. "But we can talk about that later, ok? Come on. We should go out to the barn and say goodbye."

"Yeah."

John stepped back to let her go first down the stairs. Karen paused on the second step, turning back. She reached out, and took his hand. John stared for a long moment before a smile quirked his lips and he came down the stairs beside her. Together, they walked across the yard. John put his arm around Karen's shoulders, and she leaned into him.

When they got to the barn, Karen hesitated. She hadn't been inside since the monster escaped. It was very quiet.

"They… didn't leave without saying goodbye, did they?" she whispered.

John's hand tightened on hers, but he didn't answer. Slowly, Karen reached out and pushed the door open. The pair stepped inside. The barn was dark, silent. Involuntarily, Karen's eyes flicked toward the ruined chicken coop. To her surprise, the broken lumber was neatly stacked, and the destroyed section had been replaced with a sheet of chicken wire covering the hole. Inside, several of her hens were perched, clucking contentedly. There was no sign of the devastation that the monster had created. Unexpected tears filled her eyes.

The barn was quiet. The device stood on its stand, dark and silent. John put out his hand and touched the machine, frowning slightly.

"It's… warm," he said. "Karen… They're gone."

"What? But… No, they can't be!"

"They are."

"Oh, John." Karen collapsed against his chest. His arms came around her shoulders. He rubbed small, comforting circles against her back. "We'll never see him again."

"I know. But he'll make us proud."

"He could've done that _here_…"

Someone cleared their throat, and Karen jumped, whirling around. She stared around the barn.

"Splinter?"

"It's me, Mom." Luke stepped out of the dark corner he'd been standing in. "I'm here."

"Luke!" Karen rushed forward, reaching out. She caught his shoulders and stared into his face, drinking in his presence like water in the Sahara. "Where are the others?"

"They… they're gone. They said to tell you goodbye," he said quietly. "And thank you."

"Gone? But I thought… I thought you were…"

"I decided not to go, Mom. In… in this life…" Luke's breathing hitched, and he swallowed. "In this life, all we have is each other. I… I couldn't just walk away from that."

"Oh, Luke." Karen wrapped him up in an embrace, holding him close.

"Sorry, Dad. I wanted to make you proud of me, but I…"

John crossed the distance to his son, and reached out, grasping his shoulder. Karen stepped back, allowing John to hug Luke.

"I've never been prouder of you, Son."

* * *

**A/N: And that ending, my friends, was the reason for the lack of author's notes recently. I couldn't say anything without giving too much away. This was the hardest ending I've ever had to write. It took me literal weeks. I have a son, and a daughter of my own, and I know that one day they will leave me behind for the greater adventures that life has to offer. I can only hope that they will remember to come home now and again.**

**Epilogue tomorrow. **

**Rejoicing in the day,**

**-Mary  
**


	50. Chapter 50 Epilogue

_**~Epilogue**_~

"Hey, Mikey, whatcha doin?" Raphael plopped down on the couch next to his youngest brother, reaching for the remote lying on the table.

"Just lookin' at our photo album," said Michelangelo.

"What ya wanna look at dem ol' pictures for?"

Michelangelo shot his brother a glare. "Photos are important, Raph. They help us remember times when we did cool stuff together."

Raph grunted. "Whatevah."

"Look." Michelangelo pointed to a picture. A couple stood, smiling into the camera. In front of them, a young man beamed. They were obviously a happy family. "Do ya think they're ok, Raph?" asked Michelangelo wistfully.

"Yeah, Mike, they're ok. They have each other," replied his brother.

"I guess."

"Hey guys, what're you watching?" Donatello came out of his lab, stretching.

"Nothing, Donny. We're lookin' at some pictures," replied Michelangelo.

"Cool." Donatello came to stand behind them, leaning over to look at the photo in Michelangelo's lap. "Oh… Looking at those pictures again, huh?"

"Do you think we'll ever see them again, Donny?"

"I don't know Mike. We might. You never know. Our lives are so crazy sometimes…"

"Guys." Leonardo strode into the room, a determined look in his eye. "Casey just called. Hun's got a bunch of Purple Dragons breaking into a warehouse down at the docks. What do you say we pay them a visit?"

"Cool." Mikey closed the book, setting it carefully on the table.

"Sounds good to me, Leo." Donatello pulled his bo out of its holder and twirled it. "It'll be good to get out on the streets again now that my ankle's healed."

"I'm in," said Raphael. "I owe dat big ape one anyway."

"Be careful, my sons." Splinter stood in the doorway of his room, his lips twitching in a smile.

"Don't worry, Sensei," said Leonardo with a short bow.

The Turtles filed out of the Lair, disappearing into the sewers.

The Rat crossed the room, scooping up the book. He settled into a chair and opened it, finding the photo Michelangelo'd been looking at loose, falling out of the plastic sleeve. He tucked it carefully back into place, allowing the smile to grow.

"May the fates be kind to you and your family, Karen Vincent-san," he said softly. Splinter closed the album, and made his way into the kitchen to prepare a cup of tea.

It was good to be home.

* * *

The ceremony was unpretentious. The bride wore a simple dress, an iridescent green that drew comments on its beauty and carried an unusual bouquet of mixed flowers. The groom wore a simple black suit with a delicate lotus blossom in the lapel. The attendants included a young man who couldn't seem to stop smiling and a woman who wore an unusual piece of jewelry, a computer memory stick, on a long chain around her neck. She smiled shyly at the man officiating the ceremony. His gold sheriff's badge sparkled against the black of his formal suit.

The guest list was short. An elderly woman sat in the audience, dabbing at tears. She leaned over to the woman next to her.

"I always did cry at weddings, Louise," she whispered. "Your sister is so lovely. But why on earth did she wear those odd silk bracelets?"

Louise Clarke smiled. "Karen asked her to, Martha. She wanted to match the flowers I think. Such unusual colors, red, blue, orange and purple, but they do seem to go together somehow."

"Yes," Martha answered with a smile. "They do, don't they?"

Louise smiled. "They really are a lovely family."

"They always were, Dear," said Martha. "They always were."

* * *

**_Somewhere in Massachusetts…_**

"Pete, I've got an idea… a fourth movie."

"I don't know… the other movies were so cheesy. I mean, the costumes were ok, but they didn't fit our original vision, and they made the Turtles look so… campy."

"It'll be different this time, Pete, I promise. There's this guy in Upstate New York, an animator. He called me last week…"

"Another animator?"

"Well yeah, that's what I thought at first too, but Pete, he showed me this project… It's wild, Pete, really wild… Just wait til you see what this guy is capable of. I think we should bring him in on this."

"Well…"

"Pete, it's an opportunity to take them in a whole new direction, to bring the _real_ Turtles to the world in a way that hasn't been done before."

"I don't know. I mean, how much more advanced are animatronics since the first movie?"

"Pete, this guy's onto something totally different. CGI, combined with some kind of new tech he's discovered. Pete, it's gonna rock your world. Give it a chance, huh? Come with me. Meet him. This could be big."

"What's his name?"

"John. John Vincent."

"…..Ok. I guess I could have a look. Maybe the Turtles are ready for another movie."

"I'm telling you, Pete, you won't regret it. This could be the most amazing Turtles movie _ever._"

_***end***_

_**

* * *

**_**A/N: *Cat-with-cream grin* **

**I couldn't resist. Sorry, but I adore the fourth movie, and it really did seem as if the animators had a whole new inspiration... So I just... umm tweaked the story of how that happened a little. lol**

**One more time, an enormous glomping ninja-pounce hug for my epic beta-readers and friends, Diva Danielle, Melody Winters, Jackie Polaris'05 and FairDrea and DuckiePray who didn't beta the whole story but were my support and encouragers. It's hard to believe I've known you gals barely a year... You've become such a huge part of my life. I guess some friends are just like that, they move in and take over your heart. Kind of like the boys moving in to Karen's house. ;) Like Karen and her family, I have to say, yes you've changed me, but it was so worth it. Love to all you gals.**

**Onward to the reviewers, who made this fic such fun to share. I appreciate your putting up with my habit of writing OC's. I sometimes feel as if every Turtle story has already been written, and the only way to write something fresh and new is to use an OC. I may challenge myself at some point to write a Turtles fic that is strictly cannon. It won't be my next fic, however. The next one in line is Splintered Hearts, the final piece to my romance series. I'll start posting as soon as I'm finished writing... I've run into a few... snags along the way, but hopefully it'll smooth out. Splinter is easily the most complex, interesting, and _stubborn_ character I've ever attempted to write. Getting inside his head has been a real trip, and I doubt I'll ever have a truly complete understanding of this most radical Rat. ;)**

**One last thing before I sign off for now: Turtles Forever, the 25th year anniversary project is reportedly available on DVD as of August 2010. The least I can do for the franchise that has brought me so much joy is to add in a little plug. If you haven't seen TF yet, RUN, don't walk, skip, hop, jump or stealth-sneak, but RUN to and order yourself a copy. It is easily the funniest and probably the most touching Turtles project ever made. For long-time fans who've seen the old 'toons and comics as well as the "new" 2003 cartoons, it's a rare treat.**

**/end commercial.**

**LOL**

**Onward to the thank yous:**

**_xSERaglandx_ for a first review! And for following it to the end.  
_TigerToa_ for liking Luke  
_Pinguin1993_ for being "awesome" and for the reminder that no matter what else happens, life does indeed go on.  
_LadyBlue001_ for enthusiasm :)  
_BlackShuriken_ for a first fave  
_MelodyWinters_ for being a most EPIC BETA! and putting up with me through Splintered Hearts as well, and for writing her OWN epic stories, and just for rocking out loud in general. :)  
_Kyaserin Marii_ for liking this "right out of the gate"  
_sabra jaguar_ for writing a TMNT/Dukes crossover! (which I will pester her until the end of time for, or until she finishes it... whichever comes first.) ;)  
_DuckiePray_ for being another EPIC beta and for allowing me to have a tiny part in her own growth as a writer. Beta-reading rocks, especially when you get to read awesome stories like "Unbreakable", her current fic. :D  
_SmileyDJingles_ for nice reviews!  
_Reinbeauchaser_ for reviews I look forward to reading for their insights and questions. :)  
_candelight_ for hugs, for smiles, and for hope. One day, dear friend, your prince will come.  
_54 Viruses_ for making me laugh on a regular basis. "He'll never trust Klunk again." LOL And for throwing cheese-puffs at Haig  
_Diva Danielle_ for being such an awesome beta and friend. hugs  
_AlexHamato_ for reading in spite of the OC's  
_Scribblebun_ for "loving it so far"  
_Rika24 _for a nice review  
_sait4soreyes_ for guessing I keep the boys in my closet. (how'd you know?) O.O LOL  
_GoddessHanyuu_ for falling in love by chapter 3... and for all her help with Japanese! Splintered Hearts will be stronger for your assistance! hugs  
_LuffysAngel_ for being on the edge of her seat. :)  
_Eridani23_ for being glad she stuck with it  
_Polaris'05_ for... there's not enough room... For cookies and hugs and pounces and reading and... EVERYTHING. Love ya Jackie!  
_Randomchick16_ for thinking Mikey would think having his own cartoon is cool :)  
_Nala162024_ for daring Luke to show them the CGI movie  
_MillionDollarNinja_ for totally loving the story  
_AlyssaFelixa_ for being jealous of Luke  
_NickJ1Fan _for "hurry up"  
_Lusewing_ for wanting to know more  
_mariarosa_ for wanting Splinter to be ok  
_Sciencegal_ for laughing at the cat attack  
_LilNinjaWolf_... better late than never! ;)  
_Donata_ for missing chapters when they disappeared (due to a fanfic glitch)  
_caylender_ for wanting the TMNT to kick Hun into the next dimension  
_ponygirl-loves-mcqueen_ for being glad Luke is ok.  
_JoyjababaNoid_ for coming back  
_becs1153_ for a nice review  
_Oreo_ for fun reviews  
_teriaizer_ for kind reviews  
_ZathuraRoy_ for understanding Luke's choice**


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